Haver Resources
Aug 12

U.S. Government Budget Deficit Shrinks So Far in FY 2024

Summary
  • Personal income tax receipts strengthen.
  • Corporate tax payments surge.
  • Outlay growth picks up with higher Social Security spending.
  • Interest payments surge.

 

For the first ten months of FY 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department reported a U.S. government budget deficit of $1.517 trillion compared to a $1.614 trillion deficit in the first ten months of FY 2023. For July alone, the budget deficit of $243.7 billion compared to $220.8 billion twelve months earlier. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a $242 billion deficit for July.

Overall revenues have increased 10.7% y/y through July as individual income tax receipts rose 11.7% y/y so far in FY’24. The level of corporate tax receipts increased 28.8% y/y versus the first ten months of FY’23. Social insurance revenues have risen a lessened 5.4% y/y and excise taxes have increased 35.0% y/y so far in FY’24. Customs duties fell 6.8% y/y, continuing the decline since late-2022.

Federal government outlays have increased 5.6% y/y so far in FY’24 after a 9.8% first ten-month gain in FY’23. Defense spending rose a steady 7.3% y/y this fiscal year. Social Security outlays rose 8.0% y/y after rising 10.9% y/y in the first ten months of FY’23. Interest payments strengthened a steady 36.0% y/y so far in FY’24. Health program spending edged 0.3% higher y/y after declining 2.4% y/y in the first ten months of FY’23 while Medicare payments rose a lessened 9.8% y/y. Income security outlays fell 15.0% y/y this fiscal year compared to an 11.3% y/y decline in the first ten months of FY’23.

Haver’s data on Federal Government receipts & outlays are contained in USECON. The expectations figure is in the AS1REPNA database.

About The Author

Avatar photo

Thomas J. Moeller

Haver Analytics is pleased to bring Thomas J. Moeller’s commentaries on the state of the U.S. economy to its clients.

Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters’ Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.

See author's posts