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The purpose of a trial balance is fundamentally to confirm that debits and credits are equal in the ledger accounts before preparing financial statements. This process is critical in the accounting cycle as it serves as an initial check on the arithmetic accuracy of the bookkeeping entries made within the accounting system.

By ensuring that total debits equal total credits, a trial balance helps identify any discrepancies or errors that may have occurred during recording transactions. It functions as a preliminary stage in the preparation of comprehensive financial statements like the income statement and balance sheet. If the trial balance does not balance, it signals that there may be errors to investigate and rectify before proceeding to the more formal financial reporting process.

In contrast, other options reflect different aspects of accounting practice but do not accurately depict the primary function of a trial balance. For instance, assessing profitability, summarizing expenses, or auditing financial statements are functions that occur at different stages in financial reporting and analysis, rather than being the specific role of a trial balance.