diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balancesheet.md b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balancesheet.md
index d49442912..e5593d31d 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balancesheet.md
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Balancesheet.md
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ financial statements.
 
 _FLAGS
 
-The asset and liability accounts shown are those accounts declared
-with the `Asset` or `Cash` or `Liability` type, or otherwise all
-accounts under a top-level `asset` or `liability` account (case
-insensitive, plurals allowed).
+This report shows accounts declared with the `Asset` or `Cash` or `Liability` type
+(see [account types](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#account-types)).
+Or if no such accounts are declared, it shows top-level accounts named
+`asset` or `liability` (case insensitive, plurals allowed) and their subaccounts.
 
 Example:
 
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Cashflow.md b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Cashflow.md
index d220c409a..91f5980eb 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Cashflow.md
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Cashflow.md
@@ -6,17 +6,12 @@ financial statements.
 
 _FLAGS
 
-"Cash" assets are those accounts which are (or whose parents are) 
-declared as `Cash` by an account directive, like this:
+This report shows accounts declared with the `Cash` type
+(see [account types](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#account-types)).
+Or if no such accounts are declared, it shows accounts 
 
-```journal
-account some:liquid:asset    ; type:C
-```
-
-Or if there are no such declarations, all accounts
-
-- under a top-level `asset` account (case insensitive, plural allowed) 
-- with some variation of `cash`, `bank`, `checking` or `saving` in their name.
+- under a top-level account named `asset` (case insensitive, plural allowed) 
+- whose name contains some variation of `cash`, `bank`, `checking` or `saving`.
 
 More precisely: all accounts matching this case insensitive regular expression:
 
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Incomestatement.md b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Incomestatement.md
index a5345f3a5..751638f83 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Incomestatement.md
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Incomestatement.md
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ financial statements.
 
 _FLAGS
 
-The revenue and expense accounts shown are those accounts declared
-with the `Revenue` or `Expense` type, or otherwise all accounts under
-a top-level `revenue` or `income` or `expense` account (case
-insensitive, plurals allowed).
+This report shows accounts declared with the `Revenue` or `Expense` type
+(see [account types](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#account-types)).
+Or if no such accounts are declared, it shows top-level accounts named
+`revenue` or `income` or `expense` (case insensitive, plurals allowed) and their subaccounts.
 
 Example:
 ```shell