Infographic: What Is the Debt Ceiling?
Increasing the debt ceiling allows the Treasury to borrow funds to pay for government obligations that have already been incurred as the result of laws and budgets approved by the President and Congress.
Read MoreHow Does Inflation Affect the Federal Budget?
Rising inflation usually prompts higher interest rates, which in turn boost interest paid on the federal debt and thereby increase annual deficits.
Read MoreDebt Ceiling Update: What’s at Stake
If lawmakers do not agree on raising or suspending the debt limit before the extraordinary measures are exhausted, there would be severe consequences.
Read MoreBudget Basics: Federal Trust Funds
Federal trust funds bear little resemblance to their private-sector counterparts.
Read More10 Largest Budget Functions
Here are the top ten spending categories for the federal budget.
Read MoreWhy Are Americans Paying More for Healthcare?
High healthcare spending is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if it leads to better health outcomes. However, that is not the case in the United States.
Read MoreHow Does the Aging of the Population Affect Our Fiscal Health?
As a large portion of the American population lives well beyond retirement age, the total cost of providing healthcare will grow as well.
Read MoreChart Pack: Healthcare
These charts illustrate the growth in U.S. healthcare spending and how it affects the federal budget.
Read MoreChart Pack: The U.S. Budget
A selection of key charts that give an overview of the major components in the U.S. federal budget.
Read MoreChart Pack: Social Programs
A selection of charts about crucial social programs (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP), their financial outlook, and place within the federal budget.
Read More