Graph and download economic data for Federal Surplus or Deficit - from Oct 1980 to Jun 2025 about budget, federal, and USA.

The United States recorded a government budget surplus of 27000 USD Million in June of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Government Budget Value - 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.

This summary table shows the total amount of receipts and outlays and the amount of the budget surplus/deficit by month for the current and prior fiscal years. 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.

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.

This summary table shows the on-budget and off-budget receipts and outlays, the on-budget and off-budget surplus/deficit, and the means of financing the budget surplus/deficit. The table also shows the budgeted amounts estimated in the President's Budget for the current fiscal year and next fiscal year for each item on the table. 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.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Budget Surplus or Deficit for the United States (M1525CUSM144NNBR) from Jul 1930 to Jun 1940 about budget, federal, and USA.

This table shows the receipts and outlays of the United States Government by month for the current fiscal year, up to and including the current accounting month. The table also shows the total receipts and outlays for the current fiscal year-to-date and the comparable prior fiscal year-to-date. 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.

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 U.S. budget deficit amounted to roughly 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, which was around 6.3 percent of the U.S. GDP. The forecast predicts a state deficit of about 2.58 trillion U.S. dollars in 2034, which would be about 6.2 percent of the U.S. GDP. The GDP of the United States since 1990 can be accessed here.

United States Federal Government Surplus or Deficit: Off Budget data was reported at -12.284 USD bn in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.020 USD bn for Sep 2018. United States Federal Government Surplus or Deficit: Off Budget data is updated monthly, averaging 2.780 USD bn from Oct 1984 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 409 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.168 USD bn in Jun 2008 and a record low of -38.457 USD bn in Aug 2012. United States Federal Government Surplus or Deficit: Off Budget data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F001: Federal Government Receipts & Outlays.

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

This table is a subsidiary table for Means of Financing the Deficit or Disposition of Surplus by the U.S. Government providing a detailed view of the Change in Excess of Liabilities. 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.

This table shows the total receipts and outlays and the resulting surplus or deficit (shown on the table as excess) for the current month and the current fiscal year-to-date for all federal trust funds. The table also shows the totals for securities held as investments by the federal trust funds for the beginning of the fiscal year and the beginning and ending of the current accounting month. A trust fund is a type of account, designated by law, for receipts or offsetting receipts dedicated to specific purposes and the expenditure of these receipts. 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.

This summary table shows, for Budget Receipts, the total amount of activity for the current month, the current fiscal year-to-date, the comparable prior period year-to-date and the budgeted amount estimated for the current fiscal year for various types of receipts (i.e. individual income tax, corporate income tax, etc.). The Budget Outlays section of the table shows the total amount of activity for the current month, the current fiscal year-to-date, the comparable prior period year-to-date and the budgeted amount estimated for the current fiscal year for functions of the federal government. The table also shows the amounts for the budget/surplus deficit categorized as listed above. 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.

In September 2024, the national debt of the United States had risen up to 35.46 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 85,552 U.S. dollars in 2021. As represented by the statistic above, the public debt of the United States has been continuously rising. U.S. public debt Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. In the case of the U.S., national debt is owed by the federal government to Treasury security holders. Generally speaking, government debt increases with government spending, and can be decreased through taxes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government increased spending significantly to finance virus infrastructure, aid, and various forms of economic relief. International public debt Venezuela leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2021. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Venezuela's public debt amounted to around 306.95 percent of GDP. Eritrea was ranked fifth, with an estimated debt of 170 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 87 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2027, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland. Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of the 4th quarter of 2020 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany ranked 13th in the EU, with its national debt amounting to 69 percent of GDP in the same time period. Tuvalu was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2021 in relation to the GDP, while Macao had an estimated level of national debt of zero percent, the lowest of any country. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.

The Monthly Treasury Statement (MTS) dataset provides information on the flow of money into and out of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It includes how deficits are funded, such as borrowing from the public or reducing operating cash, and how surpluses are distributed. Further tables categorize spending (outlays) by department and agency, revenue (receipts) by specific taxes or other government sources of income, and transactions with trust funds such as Social Security or Medicare. All values are reported in millions of U.S. dollars.

By 2034, the gross federal debt of the United States is projected to be about 54.39 trillion U.S. dollars. This would be an increase of around 21 trillion U.S. dollars from 2023, when the federal debt was around 33 trillion U.S. dollars.

The federal debt of the U.S.

The federal debt, also called the national debt or public debt, is the amount of debt held by the United States government. This debt may be to other countries, or to different departments within the government itself. The public debt of the United States has increased significantly over the past 30 years, as it was around 3.2 trillion U.S. dollars in 1990 and surpassed 30 trillion dollars for the first time in 2022. When broken down per capita, the national debt amounted to about 80,885 U.S. dollars of debt per person in the United States in 2021.

The problem of the federal debt

Over the past decade, the federal debt limit in the United States has increased significantly. The U.S. debt ceiling can only be changed by an act of Congress which is then signed by the president. The raising of the ceiling has become a recurring political issue in recent years, especially during times when the Presidency and chambers of Congress are controlled by different parties.

The debt ceiling is a tool that allows the Treasury to issue bonds without congressional approval, allowing for efficiency in the way that the government pays for programs and services. It is thought to be further valuable in that it keeps federal finances in check. However, when the two parties are unable to come to an agreement on raising the debt ceiling, the government comes to a shutdown because they can no longer fund themselves. The Republican Party in particular often positions itself against raising the federal debt ceiling, characterizing themselves as the party of fiscal conservativism. However, analyses have shown that both parties have contributed to the country's debt in almost equal measures.

description: Summarizes the financial activities of the federal government and off-budget federal entities in accordance with the Budget of the U.S. Government. This statement presents a summary of: receipts and outlays, surplus or deficit, and means of financing on a modified cash basis. Data provided by federal entities, disbursing officers, and Federal Reserve Banks.; abstract: Summarizes the financial activities of the federal government and off-budget federal entities in accordance with the Budget of the U.S. Government. This statement presents a summary of: receipts and outlays, surplus or deficit, and means of financing on a modified cash basis. Data provided by federal entities, disbursing officers, and Federal Reserve Banks.

United States Federal Government Surplus or Deficit: On Budget data was reported at -88.207 USD bn in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 101.096 USD bn for Sep 2018. United States Federal Government Surplus or Deficit: On Budget data is updated monthly, averaging -33.187 USD bn from Oct 1984 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 409 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 195.006 USD bn in Apr 2018 and a record low of -223.102 USD bn in Feb 2012. United States Federal Government Surplus or Deficit: On Budget data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.F001: Federal Government Receipts & Outlays.