Terms

Federal Budget Deficit

The Federal Budget Deficit is the amount of money a Federal Government spends each year beyond what it collects in taxes and other revenue sources.

  • If spending > revenue, there is a deficit
  • If spending < revenue, there is a surplus
  • Most countries typically run a deficit

US Budget Deficit


Additional Debts Not Counted in the Budget Deficit

  • The US counts some uses of cash that it needs to take out debt for as "investments", not expenses
  • These "investments" are not included in the official deficit, but do impact the countries debt
  • Examples Include:
    • Transportation Projects
    • Federal Loan Programs
    • Social Security Payments
    • Military Payments
    • etc.