What financial statement is primarily affected by adjusting entries for accrued expenses?

Adjusting entries for accrued expenses mainly impact the Income Statement because they recognize expenses that have been incurred but not yet paid or recorded. Accrued expenses, such as wages payable or interest payable, reflect costs that businesses owe as of the balance sheet date. When these expenses are recognized, they increase the expenses reported on the Income Statement, which subsequently reduces net income for the period.

Recognizing these costs is essential for accurately portraying a company's financial performance within a specific period, ensuring that expenses are matched with the revenues they help generate – a fundamental principle of accrual accounting.

While accrued expenses may also appear on the Balance Sheet as liabilities, their primary influence is through the Income Statement, where they affect earnings for that period. Hence, the most direct impact of these adjusting entries is observed in the Income Statement.