diff --git a/app/models/account_import.rb b/app/models/account_import.rb
index f5b790a09..02f19c05b 100644
--- a/app/models/account_import.rb
+++ b/app/models/account_import.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,19 @@ class AccountImport < Import
         account.save!
 
         manager = Account::OpeningBalanceManager.new(account)
-        result = manager.set_opening_balance(balance: row.amount.to_d)
+
+        # Parse date if provided, otherwise use default
+        balance_date = if row.date.present?
+          begin
+            Date.strptime(row.date, date_format)
+          rescue ArgumentError => e
+            raise OpeningBalanceError, "Invalid date format for '#{row.date}': #{e.message}"
+          end
+        else
+          nil
+        end
+
+        result = manager.set_opening_balance(balance: row.amount.to_d, date: balance_date)
 
         # Re-raise since we should never have an error here
         if result.error
@@ -37,7 +49,7 @@ class AccountImport < Import
   end
 
   def column_keys
-    %i[entity_type name amount currency]
+    %i[entity_type name amount currency date]
   end
 
   def dry_run
@@ -48,10 +60,10 @@ class AccountImport < Import
 
   def csv_template
     template = <<-CSV
-      Account type*,Name*,Balance*,Currency
-      Checking,Main Checking Account,1000.00,USD
-      Savings,Emergency Fund,5000.00,USD
-      Credit Card,Rewards Card,-500.00,USD
+      Account type*,Name*,Balance*,Currency,Balance Date
+      Checking,Main Checking Account,1000.00,USD,01/01/2024
+      Savings,Emergency Fund,5000.00,USD,01/15/2024
+      Credit Card,Rewards Card,-500.00,USD,02/01/2024
     CSV
 
     CSV.parse(template, headers: true)
diff --git a/app/views/import/configurations/_account_import.html.erb b/app/views/import/configurations/_account_import.html.erb
index 28096ff9c..a8c4ec010 100644
--- a/app/views/import/configurations/_account_import.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/import/configurations/_account_import.html.erb
@@ -6,5 +6,13 @@
   <%= form.select :amount_col_label, import.csv_headers, { include_blank: "Leave empty", label: "Balance" }, required: true %>
   <%= form.select :currency_col_label, import.csv_headers, { include_blank: "Default", label: "Currency" } %>
 
+  <div class="flex items-center gap-4">
+    <%= form.select :date_col_label, import.csv_headers, { include_blank: "Leave empty", label: "Balance Date" } %>
+    <%= form.select :date_format,
+                    Family::DATE_FORMATS,
+                    { label: "Date Format", prompt: "Select format" },
+                    required: @import.date_col_label.present? %>
+  </div>
+
   <%= form.submit "Apply configuration", disabled: import.complete? %>
 <% end %>
diff --git a/test/models/account_import_test.rb b/test/models/account_import_test.rb
index 29204c0fd..d433cab8f 100644
--- a/test/models/account_import_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/account_import_test.rb
@@ -63,8 +63,95 @@ class AccountImportTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
   end
 
-  test "column_keys returns expected keys" do
-    assert_equal %i[entity_type name amount currency], @import.column_keys
+  test "import creates accounts with explicit balance dates" do
+    import_csv = <<~CSV
+      type,name,amount,currency,date
+      depository,Main Checking,1000.00,USD,01/15/2024
+      depository,Savings Account,5000.00,USD,02/01/2024
+    CSV
+
+    @import.update!(
+      raw_file_str: import_csv,
+      entity_type_col_label: "type",
+      name_col_label: "name",
+      amount_col_label: "amount",
+      currency_col_label: "currency",
+      date_col_label: "date",
+      date_format: "%m/%d/%Y"
+    )
+
+    @import.generate_rows_from_csv
+
+    # Create mappings for account types
+    @import.mappings.create! key: "depository", value: "Depository", type: "Import::AccountTypeMapping"
+
+    @import.reload
+
+    # Perform the import
+    @import.publish
+
+    # Check if import succeeded
+    if @import.failed?
+      fail "Import failed with error: #{@import.error}"
+    end
+
+    assert_equal "complete", @import.status
+
+    # Verify accounts were created with correct dates
+    accounts = @import.accounts.order(:name)
+
+    checking_account = accounts.find { |a| a.name == "Main Checking" }
+    savings_account = accounts.find { |a| a.name == "Savings Account" }
+
+    checking_valuation = checking_account.valuations.opening_anchor.first
+    savings_valuation = savings_account.valuations.opening_anchor.first
+
+    assert_equal Date.parse("2024-01-15"), checking_valuation.entry.date
+    assert_equal Date.parse("2024-02-01"), savings_valuation.entry.date
+  end
+
+  test "import creates accounts with default dates when date column not provided" do
+    import_csv = <<~CSV
+      type,name,amount,currency
+      depository,Main Checking,1000.00,USD
+    CSV
+
+    @import.update!(
+      raw_file_str: import_csv,
+      entity_type_col_label: "type",
+      name_col_label: "name",
+      amount_col_label: "amount",
+      currency_col_label: "currency"
+    )
+
+    @import.generate_rows_from_csv
+
+    # Create mappings for account types
+    @import.mappings.create! key: "depository", value: "Depository", type: "Import::AccountTypeMapping"
+
+    @import.reload
+
+    # Perform the import
+    @import.publish
+
+    # Check if import succeeded
+    if @import.failed?
+      fail "Import failed with error: #{@import.error}"
+    end
+
+    assert_equal "complete", @import.status
+
+    # Verify account was created with default date (2 years ago or 1 day before oldest entry)
+    account = @import.accounts.first
+    valuation = account.valuations.opening_anchor.first
+
+    # Default date should be 2 years ago when there are no other entries
+    expected_default_date = 2.years.ago.to_date
+    assert_equal expected_default_date, valuation.entry.date
+  end
+
+  test "column_keys returns expected keys including date" do
+    assert_equal %i[entity_type name amount currency date], @import.column_keys
   end
 
   test "required_column_keys returns expected keys" do