Federal budget deficit (+) or surplus (-), monthly, United States

The federal budget deficit or surplus for the month is federal outlays minus receipts, as published by the Treasury in Table 1 of the Monthly Treasury Statement. A positive number means a deficit and a negative one a surplus. The series starts in October 2013, the first month of the 2014 fiscal year in the Treasury's data.

It is the most current official reading of federal finances. Sustained deficits are what drive the growth of federal debt and the volume of Treasury securities the market must absorb, which feeds into yields and, through them, into bank securities portfolios and borrowing costs. Analysts often add up twelve months to compare one year with the next.

Monthly figures need care. The federal fiscal year runs from October to September, and receipts are strongly seasonal: April usually shows a surplus because individual income taxes are due, while other months show deficits. When the first day of a month falls on a weekend, payments such as benefits and military pay are moved into the previous month, which can turn a surplus into a deficit and back again; the Treasury notes these shifts. Compare a month with the same month a year earlier, adjusted for calendar shifts where they occur.

Federal budget deficit or surplus, monthly is at its lowest since April 2026, when it stood at -$215.0 bn. Within ten years, federal budget deficit or surplus, monthly beats 22% of readings.

Outlays minus receipts for the month, as published in the Monthly Treasury Statement. Positive = deficit.

US Treasury publishes federal budget deficit or surplus, monthly monthly in Monthly Treasury Statement, Table 1, in USD and is not seasonally adjusted. Code: mts. Method for federal budget deficit or surplus, monthly.