Fiscal Data Explains Federal Revenue (2024)

Key Takeaways

The primary sources of revenue for the U.S. government are individual and corporate taxes, and taxes that are dedicated to funding Social Security and Medicare. This revenue is used to fund a variety of goods, programs, and services to support the American public and pay interest incurred from borrowing. Revenue is typically measured by fiscal year (FY).

In addition to taxes, government revenue also comes from customs duties, leases of government-owned land and buildings, the sale of natural resources, various usage and licensing fees, and payments to federal agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Federal revenue is commonly compared to gross domestic product (GDP). This comparison provides a sense of the size of the federal government's earnings in relation to the total amount of the entire country's economic output. In fiscal year 0, federal revenue was equal to 0% of total gross domestic product (GDP), or economic activity, of the United States that year $ trillion.

Federal Revenue Overview

Where does federal revenue come from? If you lived or worked in the United States in 0, your tax contributions are likely part of the $ collected in revenue. The federal government also collects revenue from services like admission to national parks and customs duties on foreign imports and exports. The majority of this revenue is used to pay for government activities (employee salaries, infrastructure maintenance), as well as to pay for goods and services provided to United States citizens and businesses.

In FY 0, the federal government spent $. Since the government spent than it collected, the for 0 was $. Visit our Spending and Deficit pages for more information on these activities.

Sources of Federal Revenue

Most of the revenue the U.S. government collects comes from contributions from individual taxpayers, small businesses, and corporations through taxes. Additional sources of tax revenue consist of excise tax, estate tax, and other taxes and fees. So far in FY 0, individual income taxes have accounted for % of total revenue while Social Security and Medicare taxes made up another %.

Government revenue also comes from payments to federal agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior. Have you visited a national park recently? Did you know your national park entry is included in government revenue? Other agencies generate revenue from leases, the sale of natural resources, and various usage and licensing fees.

Sources of Revenue for the U.S. Federal Government, FYTD 0

Revenue by Source Categories

Total Revenue: $

0 B

To explore this visual, hover over or tap on any category bubble to discover its data.

Visit the Monthly Treasury Statement (MTS) dataset to explore and download this data.

Last Updated:

June 12, 2023

In FY 0, the combined contribution of individual and corporate income taxes is $0 B, making up 0% of total revenue.

Why does the Federal Reserve send money to the federal government?

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Social Security and Medicare Taxes

Unlike personal income taxes, which support a variety of programs, these taxes are only used to fund Social Security and Medicare. These funds are collected from your paycheck, and in most cases, matched by your employer, and then divided into separate trust funds that support each of those programs.

Social Security has two trust fund accounts: the Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund (OASI) and the Disability Trust Fund (DI). The funds in these accounts are responsible for providing workers and their families with retirement, disability, and survivor's insurance benefits.

Medicare also has two accounts: the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund (HI), also known as Medicare Part A, and the Supplementary Medicare Insurance Trust Fund (SMI). These funds pay for hospital, home health, skilled nursing, and hospice care for the elderly and disabled.

From 1868 until 1913, 90% of all federal revenue came from taxes on liquor, beer, wine, and tobacco.
Source: IRS.gov

Federal Revenue Trends Over Time

The majority of federal revenue comes from individual and corporate income taxes as well as social insurance taxes (such as the Social Security taxes described above). As shown in the chart below, federal revenue increases during periods of higher earnings for individuals and corporations because more income is collected in taxes. Revenue also increases during periods with higher tax rates. Alternatively, when individuals or corporations make less money or the tax rate is lowered, the government earns less revenue. In , the U.S. government collected the highest total revenue in its history.

If the U.S. government increases tariffs on imports from a particular country or countries, it could increase revenues, depending on the level of trade the U.S. continues to do with those countries. However, if tariffs increase and U.S. consumers import fewer goods as a result of the higher prices, then revenue from customs duties could decrease overall.

Individual income tax has remained the top source of income for the U.S. government since 0.

The chart below shows how federal revenue has changed over time, broken out by the various source categories.

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Total revenue has from $ in 0 to $ in 0.

Federal Revenue Trends and the U.S. Economy

In fiscal year 2022, federal revenue was equal to of total gross domestic product (GDP), or economic activity, of the United States that year $.

Why do we compare federal revenue to gross domestic product? The comparison serves as a rough gauge of the size of the federal government's footprint related to size of the country's economic activity. Since federal taxes are based on a percentage of income for people and businesses, as people and businesses earn more the federal revenue from taxes increases.

Free GPS (Global Positioning System) service enjoyed throughout the world is funded by general U.S. tax revenues.
Source: GPS.gov

Data Sources & Methodologies

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Fiscal Data Explains Federal Revenue (2024)

FAQs

What is fiscal data? ›

Fiscal Data is your one-stop shop for federal financial data. The Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service created Fiscal Data to consolidate federal financial data into one easy-to-use website.

What is the federal revenue? ›

Government revenue is income received from taxes and other sources to pay for government expenditures . The U.S. government has collected $2.69 trillion in fiscal year 2023.

What is federal fiscal? ›

Every year, the U.S. Congress begins work on a federal budget for the next fiscal year. The federal government's fiscal year runs from October 1 of one calendar year through September 30 of the next.

How does the federal government create revenue? ›

The federal government finances its operations with taxes, fees, and other receipts collected from many different sectors of the economy. In 2023, total federal receipts are projected to total about $4.8 trillion, or 18.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

What is the purpose of fiscal report? ›

Also known as an income statement, this document summarizes all the revenue, costs, and expenses the company made over the previous fiscal period. It reveals whether the business is able to generate a profit by adjusting its operating costs and expenses, and/or increasing its revenue.

What is the function of the fiscal? ›

A fiscal function is a government function that involves the spending or raising of revenue. Fiscal functions can be divided into two broad categories: spending functions and revenue functions. Spending functions involve the expenditure of funds by the government in order to provide goods and services to the public.

What are the 3 major sources of federal revenue? ›

The three main sources of federal tax revenue are individual income taxes, payroll taxes, and corporate income taxes. Other sources of tax revenue include excise taxes, the estate tax, and other taxes and fees.

What are 4 main sources of revenue for the federal government? ›

Sources of U.S. Tax Revenue by Tax Type
Sources of Government Revenue in the United States, 2021
Tax TypePercentage
Individual Taxes42.1%
Social Insurance Taxes23.8%
Consumption Taxes16.6%
4 more rows

What are the three main sources of federal tax revenue? ›

Federal Budget. What are the sources of revenue for the federal government? About 50 percent of federal revenue comes from individual income taxes, 7 percent from corporate income taxes, and another 36 percent from payroll taxes that fund social insurance programs (figure 1).

What is considered fiscal? ›

A fiscal year is a 12-month accounting period that a business uses for financial and tax reporting purposes. A fiscal year is also known as a financial year. A fiscal year can be different to a calendar year – it doesn't need to start on January 1 and end on December 31.

Is the federal fiscal or monetary? ›

The short answer is that Congress and the administration conduct fiscal policy, while the Fed conducts monetary policy.

Is fiscal policy federal? ›

Fiscal policy refers to the tax and spending policies of the federal government. Fiscal policy decisions are determined by the Congress and the Administration; the Fed plays no role in determining fiscal policy.

What is the largest source of federal revenue? ›

Federal Budget 101

Taxes are by far the largest source of income (or revenue) for the federal government. The government does receive income from other sources (like fees and interest), but those sources are dwarfed by what we all pay in taxes. There are three major types of taxes: Income taxes paid by individuals.

Which source provides the most revenue for the federal government? ›

The primary source of revenue for the U.S. government in 2022 was Individual Income Taxes. Revenue collected by the U.S. government is used to fund a variety of goods, programs, and services to support the American public and pay interest incurred from borrowing.

What does the federal government rely mainly on for revenue? ›

Federal revenues come largely from individual income taxes and payroll taxes, with corporate income taxes and other taxes playing smaller roles.

What are 3 purposes of fiscal policy? ›

The three major goals of fiscal policy and signs of a healthy economy include inflation rate, full employment and economic growth as measured by the gross domestic product (GDP).

Why is fiscal monitoring important? ›

The Fiscal Monitor series provides an overview of latest public finance developments, updates the medium-term fiscal outlook, and assesses fiscal implications of policies relevant to the global economy.

Why does the government use fiscal year? ›

Though the length of time is the same, the start and end dates of a fiscal year often differ from a calendar year. They are important for accounting purposes because they are used in federal tax filings and budget documents and for reporting income and expenses.

How does fiscal policy affect the economy? ›

Fiscal policy is the means by which the government adjusts its spending and revenue to influence the broader economy. By adjusting its level of spending and tax revenue, the government can affect the economy by either increasing or decreasing economic activity in the short term.

What is the main purpose of fiscal policy quizlet? ›

The goals of fiscal policy are to stimulate demand, increase production, create jobs, increase GDP, avoid recessions, control inflation, and stabilize economic growth.

What is the purpose of fiscal stimulus? ›

Fiscal stimulus is an important tool that policymakers can use to reduce the severity of recessions. The federal government provides fiscal stimulus when it increases spending, cuts taxes, or both, to shore up households' and businesses' demand for goods and services during a recession.

How do governments make money without taxes? ›

"In addition to taxes, government revenue also comes from customs duties, leases of government-owned land and buildings, the sale of natural resources, various usage and licensing fees, and payments to federal agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior.

What is fiscal policy economics? ›

Fiscal policy is the use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy. Governments typically use fiscal policy to promote strong and sustainable growth and reduce poverty.

What are the 3 biggest expenses in the federal budget? ›

CBO: U.S. Federal spending and revenue components for fiscal year 2022. Major expenditure categories are healthcare, Social Security, and defense; income and payroll taxes are the primary revenue sources.

What are the top 5 sources of government revenue? ›

Thus, the main sources of government revenue are:
  • Taxes. This includes direct as well as indirect taxes.
  • Non-tax Sources of Revenue. These include other sources of income, such as fees, penalties, gifts, donations, profits of public enterprises, forfeitures, and more. Let us now delve into these a bit more.
Mar 24, 2023

What are the 5 major sources of revenue for the local government? ›

Revenue for local governments comes from several sources: income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, intergovernmental transfers and grants, fees for government services, fines imposed by local ordinances for violations, and the sale of goods and services like public utilities, hospital fees, and community college ...

What are the components of revenue? ›

The main component of revenue is the quantity sold multiplied by the price. For a service company, this is the number of service hours multiplied by the billable service rate. For a retailer, this is the number of goods sold multiplied by the sales price.

What are the three 3 main types of taxes? ›

Tax systems in the U.S. fall into three main categories: Regressive, proportional, and progressive. Regressive and progressive taxes impact high- and low-income earners differently, whereas proportional taxes do not.

What is the most important source of revenue to the states? ›

Tax is the main source of revenue for the government.

Which of the following are not sources of revenue for the federal government? ›

Explanation: Sales tax is a source of state and local tax revenue, not federal. Personal income taxes, social security taxes, and corporate income taxes are all sources of federal tax revenues.

What does fiscal mean for dummies? ›

: of or relating to taxation, public revenues, or public debt. fiscal policy. the city's fiscal requirements. : of or relating to financial matters.

What are fiscal records examples? ›

Records that have fiscal value relate to an agency's financial transactions. these may be budgets, payrolls, vouchers, and accounting records.

What is considered fiscal records? ›

Fiscal Records means the financial books and records of Mortgagor prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis from year to year.

Are stimulus checks fiscal or monetary? ›

Economic stimulus may be related to monetary policy carried out by the Federal Reserve. Other forms of economic stimulus are driven by fiscal policy, with lawmakers directing tax policies and government spending toward areas they believe will jumpstart the economy.

Who controls fiscal policy? ›

Both the executive and legislative branches of the government determine fiscal policy and use it to influence the economy by adjusting revenue and spending levels. Those decisions can have significant impacts on your small business.

What branch of government is fiscal? ›

In the United States, fiscal policy is directed by both the executive and legislative branches of the government. In the executive branch, the President and the Secretary of the Treasury, often with economic advisers' counsel, direct fiscal policies.

What are examples of the federal government's fiscal policies? ›

Definition and Examples of Fiscal Policy

For example, governments can lower taxes and raise spending to boost the economy if needed; typically, they spend on infrastructure projects that create jobs and income and social programs. Or, if the economy is doing well, a government can reduce spending and increase taxes.

What is the difference between financial and fiscal? ›

financial - this word means all the things pertaining to money matters , receipts and expenditures. "my financial documents" fiscal -[as an adjective]this pertains to the public treasury in general. fiscal - [as a noun] an attorney that prosecutes.

What are the 2 tools of fiscal policy? ›

The tools of fiscal policy are government spending and taxes (or transfers, which are like “negative taxes”). You want to expand an economy that is producing too little, so expansionary fiscal policy is used to close negative output gaps (recessions).

What are the two largest sources of federal revenues? ›

Therefore, Individual income taxes and social insurance taxes make up the largest share of federal government revenues.

Where do our tax dollars go? ›

“Income security” and other benefits include federal employee retirement and disability, veterans' benefits, unemployment benefits, and welfare programs such as food and housing aid. Overall, two‐​thirds of government spending in 2022 went to pay some sort of benefit to someone.

How are federal and state revenues different? ›

What Is the Difference Between Federal and State Income Taxes? Federal income taxes are collected by the federal government, while state income taxes are collected by the individual state(s) where a taxpayer lives and earns income.

What are the two biggest sources of revenue for the US federal government quizlet? ›

Personal income taxes and Social Security taxes are the largest sources of federal government revenues.

What is the largest source of federal revenue in the United States quizlet? ›

The largest source of federal government tax revenue is individual income taxes.

Which revenue contributes the least to the national budget? ›

Non-debt Capital Receipts contribute the least to government revenue. Non-debt capital receipts are those money receipts which are received by the government from the sale of old assets. Q. Which of the following contributes the least to government revenue?

What is the fiscal year the US budget? ›

The federal government's fiscal year runs from October 1 of one calendar year through September 30 of the next.

Who doesn't pay taxes in USA? ›

Who Does Not Have to Pay Taxes? Generally, you don't have to pay taxes if your income is less than the standard deduction, you have a certain number of dependents, working abroad and are below the required thresholds, or are a qualifying non-profit organization.

What is the source of most of the government's revenue quizlet? ›

The governments revenue comes from taxes which are paid by the people and business'.

What is fiscal vs calendar? ›

A fiscal year keeps income and expenses together on the same tax return, while a calendar year splits them into two. Calendar years enable easier year-to-year comparisons between businesses, compared to two companies using different fiscal years.

What are the 3 fiscal measures? ›

There are three types of fiscal policy. They are neutral policy, expansionary policy, and contractionary policy.

What does fiscal mean vs monetary? ›

Monetary policy refers to the actions of central banks to achieve macroeconomic policy objectives such as price stability, full employment, and stable economic growth. Fiscal policy refers to the tax and spending policies of the federal government.

What are fiscal documents? ›

A fiscal document is a legal document that registers the transfer of ownership of an item or service that is provided by a fiscal establishment (issuer) to a person or another fiscal establishment (customer, vendor, subsidiary, or branch). A fiscal document is used to register taxes.

What are 5 examples of financial records? ›

5 Types of Financial Reports and Their Benefits for Business
  • Balance Sheet.
  • Income Statement.
  • Cash Flow Statement.
  • Statement of Changes in Capital.
  • Notes to Financial Statements.
Dec 28, 2022

What are the fiscal types? ›

There are three types of fiscal policy which are – neutral, contractionary, and expansionary.

What are the 4 types of financial records? ›

For-profit businesses use four primary types of financial statement: the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of cash flow, and the statement of retained earnings. Read on to explore each one and the information it conveys.

What are the three types of financial records? ›

The income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows are required financial statements. These three statements are informative tools that traders can use to analyze a company's financial strength and provide a quick picture of a company's financial health and underlying value.

What are major fiscal instruments? ›

The two main tools of fiscal policy are taxes and spending. Taxes influence the economy by determining how much money the government has to spend in certain areas and how much money individuals should spend. For example, if the government is trying to spur consumer spending, it can decrease taxes.

Why do companies use fiscal years? ›

Every 12 months, companies are required to report their income and expenses to the government to calculate and pay their taxes. These financial reports are also used to prepare financial statements and for budgeting and auditing purposes.

What is a fiscal vs accounting period? ›

An annual accounting period does not include a short tax year. The tax years you can use are: Calendar year - 12 consecutive months beginning January 1 and ending December 31. Fiscal year - 12 consecutive months ending on the last day of any month except December.

What is an example of a fiscal year? ›

Because the fiscal year straddles two different calendar years, the calendar year and fiscal year will not always match. For example, Fiscal Year 2023 runs from July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023.

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