United States - Government Budget Balance

Measures of government budgets represent spending and revenue for all levels of government. Spending and revenues are based, in part, on legislation, which appropriates funds to be spent, and on tax laws specifying what is to be taxed and at what rate. The budget is in balance when spending equals revenue, in deficit when spending exceeds revenue and in surplus when revenue exceeds spending.

There are two measures of budgets. The official budget represents the legally recognized spending, revenues, and surplus or deficit that are used by governments in establishing actual figures. The statistical budget is consistent with the definitions in the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA), which conform to the components of GDP.

The statistical budgets in the NIPA for the federal government are seasonally adjusted, whereas the monthly figures on the official federal budget are not seasonally adjusted.

The Monthly Treasury Statement (MTS) contains two different totals in each tabulation; the latter excludes interfund transactions.