Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit - from 1901 to 2024 about budget, federal, and USA.

In 2023, the U.S. government had a budget deficit of 1.69 trillion U.S. dollars. This is compared to 2000, when the government had a budget surplus of 0.24 trillion U.S. dollars.

U.S. Government budget

The government budget is a financial statement that demonstrates the government’s suggested revenues and spending for the financial year. Budget surpluses occur when income exceeds expenditures. Budget deficits occur when spending exceeds income. The budget balance of the U.S. government has fluctuated since 2016, and is expected to decrease slightly by 2026.

Military spending

Defense outlays in the United States amounted to 714 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. It is expected to continue to increase over the next several years. The United States currently has the largest defense budget in the world, and is the largest employer in the world. The military budget funds the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. The amount of funding that goes towards the Department of Defense is heavily criticized by Democrats in the United States, because they believe that the funding should be more evenly distributed towards other social welfare programs such as public health insurance and education.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit [-] as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (FYFSGDA188S) from 1929 to 2024 about budget, federal, GDP, and USA.

The United States recorded a government budget deficit of 345000 USD Million in August of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Government Budget Value - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) (M318501A027NBEA) from 1952 to 2023 about budget, federal, government, GDP, and USA.

The U.S. budget deficit amounted to roughly 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, which was around 6.4 percent of the U.S. GDP. The GDP of the United States since 1990 can be accessed here.

The United States recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 6.40 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - United States Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, the budget balance in relation to the gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States stood at about -7.26 percent. Between 2001 and 2024, the figure dropped by approximately 6.72 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory. From 2024 to 2030, the budget balance will rise by around 1.65 percentage points, showing an overall upward trend with periodic ups and downs.The indicator describes the general government net lending / borrowing, which is calculated as revenue minus total expenditure. The International Monetary Fund defines the general government expenditure as consisting of total expenses and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The general government revenue consists of the revenue from taxes, social contributions, grants receivable, and other revenue.

United States - Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) was -1694.32800 Bil. of $ in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) reached a record high of 236.23900 in January of 2000 and a record low of -3132.61100 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Federal government budget surplus or deficit (-) - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on September of 2025.

In the second quarter of 2025, the U.S. government's budget balance amounted to a net borrowing of about 2.11 trillion U.S. dollars. This is compared to the first quarter of 2009, when the U.S. government borrowed about 1.79 trillion U.S. dollars.

The forecasted budget balance for the U.S. government is predicted to fluctuate between the fiscal years of 2025 and 2035. This forecast predicts a deficit of 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars by fiscal year 2035. A fiscal year covers the period from October 1 to September 30 of a given year.

Key information about US Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• United States Consolidated Fiscal Balance recorded a deficit equal to 7.0 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with a deficit equal to 6.4 % in the previous quarter
• US Consolidated Fiscal Balance to GDP data is updated quarterly, available from Sep 1981 to Dec 2024, with an average ratio of -3.4 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 2.5 % in Dec 2000 and a record low of -19.0 % in Mar 2021

CEIC calculates quarterly Consolidated Fiscal Balance as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Consolidated Fiscal Balance and quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service provides Consolidated Fiscal Balance in USD. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Consolidated Fiscal Balance covers Central Government only.


Further information about US Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, US National Government Debt reached 36,220.2 USD bn in Jan 2025
• US Nominal GDP reached 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023

Argentina recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 4.37 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2023. This dataset provides - Argentina Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Germany recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 2.80 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Germany Government Budget - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Brazil recorded a Government Budget deficit equal to 8.50 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Brazil Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Australia recorded a Government Budget surplus equal to 0.60 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2024. This dataset provides - Australia Government Budget - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This table shows the net transactions for the current month, and the current and prior fiscal year-to-date, as well as account balances for the beginning of the current fiscal year and current accounting month and the close of the current accounting month. This activity is related to the means used to finance the budget deficit or to dispose of a budget surplus. An asset account would represent an asset to the United States Government, for example United States Treasury Operating Cash. A liability account would represent a liability to the United States Government, for example Borrowing from the Public. This table includes total and subtotal rows that should be excluded when aggregating data. Some rows represent elements of the dataset's hierarchy, but are not assigned values. The classification_id for each of these elements can be used as the parent_id for underlying data elements to calculate their implied values. Subtotal rows are available to access this same information.

United States CBO Projection: Deficit or Surplus: Off-Budget: % of GDP data was reported at -1.182 % in 2035. This records a decrease from the previous number of -1.146 % for 2034. United States CBO Projection: Deficit or Surplus: Off-Budget: % of GDP data is updated yearly, averaging -0.087 % from Sep 2007 (Median) to 2035, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.320 % in 2007 and a record low of -1.182 % in 2035. United States CBO Projection: Deficit or Surplus: Off-Budget: % of GDP data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Congressional Budget Office. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F007: Federal Government Receipts and Outlays: Projection. Refer to ID: 448572167 for historic actual figures

Historical: Federal government surplus or deficit, reconciliation with the public accounts, based on the 1968 System of National Accounts international standards. 1926 to 1950.

In 2024 the state's deficit substantially increased, reaching nearly 211 billion zloty, exceeding the deficit achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.