Current U.S. government spending is $4.829 trillion. That's the federal budget forthe fiscal year 2021 covering October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. It's20.7%of gross domestic product according to the Office of Management and Budget Report for FY 2021.
Key Takeaways
- Government spending for FY 2021 budget is $4.829 trillion.
- Despite sequestration to curb government spending, deficit spending has increased with the government’s effort to continually boost economic growth.
- Two-thirds of federal expenses must go to mandatory programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
- The United States must pay the interest or risk defaulting on its debt and shaking investors’ faith in its capacity to pay. If it does not, there could be domestic and global economic consequences.
Why Spending Is Increasing
In the decade leading up to the Great Recession, the government kept federal spending below 20%ofGDP.It grew no faster than the economy, around 2% to 3%per year. Duringthe recession, spending grew to a record 24.4%of GDP inFY 2009. This increase was due to economic stimulusand two overseas wars.
At the same time, growth slowed, which reduced tax receipts. Congress worried about the ballooning U.S. debt. No one could agree on how to reduce it. As a result, Congress enacted across-the-board budget cuts, called"sequestration." That finallyreduced spending to 20.4% of GDP in FY 2015.
Since then, spending has crept up again despite the sequester. Congress and the president rely on deficit spending to boost economic growth. But deficit spending is out of control. It rises each year, even when the economy is doing well.
Federal Spending Breakdown
Almost half of federal spending goes toward paying the benefits required bySocial Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These are part ofmandatory spending, which areprograms established by prior Acts ofCongress.
The interest payments on the national debt total $378 billion for FY 2021. They are necessary to maintain faith in the U.S. government.
About $1.485 trillion in FY 2021 goes toward discretionary spending, which pays for all federal government agencies. The largest is the military.
Mandatory Spending
The mandatory budget will cost $2.966 trillion in FY 2021. Mandatory spending is skyrocketing, because more baby boomersare reaching retirement age. By 2030, one in five Americans will be older than 65.
Note
Social Security costs the most at $1.151 trillion. Current payroll taxes provide nearly $1 trillion of the income. Interest from theSocial Security Trust Fundpays for the rest.
The costs will outpace interest and income by 2034. At that time, Social Security benefits will begin draining the general fund. It also means that Congress can no longer "borrow" from the Social Security Trust Fund to pay for other federal programs.
Medicare($722 billion) and Medicaid ($448 billion) are the next largest expenses. Medicare taxes pay for $308 billion of the cost. The rest comes from premiums and the general fund.
The following mandatory programs total $645 billion:
- Income support programs likefood stamps,Unemployment Compensation, Child Nutrition, Child Tax Credits, Supplemental Security Income, andStudent Loans. Unemployment insurance taxes pay for $43billion of the cost. Contrary to popular opinion,welfare programsare not the biggest area of government spending.
- Retirement and disability programs for civil servants, the Coast Guard, and the military.
National Debt Interest Payments
In FY 2021,interest payments on the national debtare estimated at $378billion. That's enough to pay for U.S. Departments of Justice. It's also one of the fastest-growing expenses.
By 2030, the cost will almost double to $665 billion, exceeding that of Medicaid. It's not a mandatory program, but it must be paid in order to avoid a U.S. debt default. These estimates will increase if interest rates rise.
Discretionary Spending
Discretionary spendingis $1.485trillion. It pays for everything else. Congress decides how much to appropriate for these programs each year.It'sthe onlygovernment spendingthat Congress can cut.
Note
There is an additional fund for emergencies. Congress allocates this outside of the budget, subject to sequestration.
For FY 2021, the emergency fund is $74.3 billion.The largest component is Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) that pay for wars.
Once you include the OCO fund, thensecurity-related spending is $915.1 billion.It's spread out among different agencies and budget categories, so you must add it all together. It includes:
- Defense Departmentbase budget: $636.4billion.
- DoD OverseasContingencyOperations: $69 billion.
- Various departments that support security: $209.7 billion. They include the Department of Veterans Affairs ($105 billion), the State Department ($20.5 billion), the Department of Homeland Security ($54.8 billion), the FBI ($9.7 billion), andthe National Nuclear Security Administration ($19.7 billion).
The next largest non-military department,Health and Human Services ($88.5billion) is just above one-tenth of totalmilitary spending. Its primary function is to spend mandated benefits for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. Other important federal government functions receive even less funding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the largest category of federal spending?
At roughly 16.8%, health spending is the largest budget function category for the federal budget. It is followed by Medicare (16%) and national defense (15%).
