On this page you will find a history of surpluses and deficits in the United States, running all the way back until 1789.

Directly underneath you will find an up-to-date table that contains all of the budget surpluses and deficits in the United States from 1940 until present day, both in nominal dollars and inflation adjusted dollars. A projection for 2013 is included as well:

Deficits/Surpluses From 1940 Until 2013 (*fiscal years)

1* – Presidential control
2* – Senate control
3* – House control

D = Democrat R = Republican

Year Nominal Dollars Inflation Adjusted 1* 2* 3*
1940 $2.9 Billion Deficit $48.33 Billion Deficit D D D
1941 $4.9 Billion Deficit $77.78 Billion Deficit D D D
1942 $20.5 Billion Deficit $292.86 Billion Deficit D D D
1943 $54.6 Billion Deficit $737.84 Billion Deficit D D D
1944 $47.6 Billion Deficit $634.67 Billion Deficit D D D
1945 $47.6 Billion Deficit $618.18 Billion Deficit D D D
1946 $15.9 Billion Deficit $191.57 Billion Deficit D D D
1947 $4 Billion Surplus $42.11 Billion Surplus D R R
1948 $11.8 Billion Surplus $114.56 Billion Surplus D R R
1949 $0.6 Billion Surplus $5.88 Billion Surplus D D D
1950 $3.1 Billion Deficit $30.1 Billion Deficit D D D
1951 $6.1 Billion Surplus $54.95 Billion Surplus D D D
1952 $1.5 Billion Deficit $13.27 Billion Deficit D D D
1953 $6.5 Billion Deficit $57.02 Billion Deficit R R D
1954 $1.2 Billion Deficit $10.43 Billion Deficit R R D
1955 $3 Billion Deficit $26.09 Billion Deficit R D D
1956 $3.9 Billion Surplus $33.62 Billion Surplus R D D
1957 $3.4 Billion Surplus $28.33 Billion Surplus R D D
1958 $2.8 Billion Deficit $22.58 Billion Deficit R D D
1959 $12.8 Billion Deficit $103.23 Billion Deficit R D D
1960 $0.3 Billion Surplus $2.36 Billion Surplus R D D
1961 $3.3 Billion Deficit $25.78 Billion Deficit D D D
1962 $7.1 Billion Deficit $55.04 Billion Deficit D D D
1963 $4.8 Billion Deficit $36.64 Billion Deficit D D D
1964 $5.9 Billion Deficit $44.36 Billion Deficit D D D
1965 $1.4 Billion Deficit $10.37 Billion Deficit D D D
1966 $3.7 Billion Deficit $26.62 Billion Deficit D D D
1967 $8.6 Billion Deficit $60.14 Billion Deficit D D D
1968 $25.2 Billion Deficit $169.13 Billion Deficit D D D
1969 $3.2 Billion Surplus $20.38 Billion Surplus R D D
1970 $2.8 Billion Deficit $16.87 Billion Deficit R D D
1971 $23 Billion Deficit $132.95 Billion Deficit R D D
1972 $23.4 Billion Deficit $130.73 Billion Deficit R D D
1973 $14.9 Billion Deficit $78.42 Billion Deficit R D D
1974 $6.1 Billion Deficit $28.91 Billion Deficit R D D
1975 $53.2 Billion Deficit $231.3 Billion Deficit R D D
1976 $73.7 Billion Deficit $303.29 Billion Deficit R D D
1977 $53.7 Billion Deficit $207.34 Billion Deficit D D D
1978 $59.2 Billion Deficit $212.19 Billion Deficit D D D
1979 $40.7 Billion Deficit $130.87 Billion Deficit D D D
1980 $73.8 Billion Deficit $209.66 Billion Deficit D D D
1981 $79 Billion Deficit $203.08 Billion Deficit R R D
1982 $128 Billion Deficit $309.93 Billion Deficit R R D
1983 $207.8 Billion Deficit $487.79 Billion Deficit R R D
1984 $185.4 Billion Deficit $417.57 Billion Deficit R R D
1985 $212.3 Billion Deficit $461.52 Billion Deficit R R D
1986 $221.2 Billion Deficit $471.64 Billion Deficit R R D
1987 $149.7 Billion Deficit $308.02 Billion Deficit R D D
1988 $155.2 Billion Deficit $306.72 Billion Deficit R D D
1989 $152.5 Billion Deficit $287.74 Billion Deficit R D D
1990 $221.2 Billion Deficit $395.71 Billion Deficit R D D
1991 $269.3 Billion Deficit $461.92 Billion Deficit R D D
1992 $290.4 Billion Deficit $484 Billion Deficit R D D
1993 $255.1 Billion Deficit $412.78 Billion Deficit D D D
1994 $203.2 Billion Deficit $320.5 Billion Deficit D D D
1995 $164 Billion Deficit $251.53 Billion Deficit D R R
1996 $107.5 Billion Deficit $160.21 Billion Deficit D R R
1997 $22 Billion Deficit $32.07 Billion Deficit D R R
1998 $69.2 Billion Surplus $99.28 Billion Surplus D R R
1999 $125.6 Billion Surplus $176.16 Billion Surplus D R R
2000 $236.4 Billion Surplus $320.76 Billion Surplus D R R
2001 $127.3 Billion Surplus $168.16 Billion Surplus R D R
2002 $157.8 Billion Deficit $205.2 Billion Deficit R D R
2003 $377.6 Billion Deficit $479.8 Billion Deficit R R R
2004 $413 Billion Deficit $511.14 Billion Deficit R R R
2005 $318 Billion Deficit $380.84 Billion Deficit R R R
2006 $248 Billion Deficit $287.7 Billion Deficit R R R
2007 $161 Billion Deficit $181.51 Billion Deficit R D D
2008 $459 Billion Deficit $498.37 Billion Deficit R D D
2009 $1413 Billion Deficit $1539.22 Billion Deficit D D D
2010 $1294 Billion Deficit $1386.92 Billion Deficit D D D
2011 $1299 Billion Deficit $1350.31 Billion Deficit D D R
2012 $1100 Billion Deficit $1120.16 Billion Deficit D D R
2013 $900 Billion Deficit $900 Billion Deficit D D R

Source: Whitehouse.gov – Historical Tables (Table 1.1)



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Monthly Deficits, October 1980 – Present Day

Date Total Receipts Total Outlays Surplus/Deficit

October 1980 $38.92 B $55.84 B $-16.92 B
November 1980 $39.17 B $48.08 B $-8.91 B
December 1980 $48.9 B $50.87 B $-1.97 B
January 1981 $51.15 B $63.34 B $-12.19 B
February 1981 $38.13 B $53.75 B $-15.62 B
March 1981 $44.36 B $53.94 B $-9.58 B
April 1981 $74.19 B $57 B $17.19 B
May 1981 $38.24 B $54.41 B $-16.17 B
June 1981 $70.43 B $55.07 B $15.36 B
July 1981 $47.83 B $58.17 B $-10.34 B
August 1981 $47.67 B $52.79 B $-5.12 B
September 1981 $60.28 B $53.94 B $6.34 B
October 1981 $45.47 B $63.57 B $-18.11 B
November 1981 $44.32 B $54.96 B $-10.64 B
December 1981 $57.41 B $76.88 B $-19.47 B
January 1982 $55.27 B $45.93 B $9.34 B
February 1982 $43.04 B $57.82 B $-14.78 B
March 1982 $45.29 B $63.55 B $-18.26 B
April 1982 $75.78 B $66.07 B $9.7 B
May 1982 $36.75 B $55.68 B $-18.93 B
June 1982 $66.35 B $59.63 B $6.72 B
July 1982 $44.68 B $64.51 B $-19.83 B
August 1982 $44.92 B $59.63 B $-14.7 B
September 1982 $59.69 B $61.4 B $-1.71 B
October 1982 $40.54 B $66.71 B $-26.17 B
November 1982 $42.01 B $66.17 B $-24.16 B
December 1982 $54.5 B $72.44 B $-17.94 B
January 1983 $57.51 B $67.09 B $-9.58 B
February 1983 $38.82 B $64.15 B $-25.34 B
March 1983 $43.5 B $69.54 B $-26.04 B
April 1983 $66.23 B $69.54 B $-3.31 B
May 1983 $33.76 B $63.04 B $-29.29 B
June 1983 $66.52 B $63.12 B $3.4 B
July 1983 $43.95 B $65.36 B $-21.41 B
August 1983 $49.68 B $67.16 B $-17.48 B
September 1983 $63.56 B $61.61 B $1.95 B
October 1983 $45.16 B $70.23 B $-25.07 B
November 1983 $46.2 B $67.79 B $-21.59 B
December 1983 $58.04 B $74.71 B $-16.66 B
January 1984 $62.54 B $68.05 B $-5.52 B
February 1984 $47.89 B $68.27 B $-20.38 B
March 1984 $44.46 B $73.02 B $-28.56 B
April 1984 $80.18 B $68.69 B $11.49 B
May 1984 $37.46 B $71.39 B $-33.93 B
June 1984 $69.28 B $71.28 B $-2 B
July 1984 $52.02 B $68.43 B $-16.42 B
August 1984 $55.21 B $88.71 B $-33.5 B
September 1984 $68.02 B $51.23 B $16.79 B
October 1984 $52.25 B $80.26 B $-28.01 B
November 1984 $51.49 B $80.39 B $-28.9 B
December 1984 $62.4 B $76.97 B $-14.57 B
January 1985 $70.45 B $78.45 B $-7.99 B
February 1985 $54.05 B $75.1 B $-21.05 B
March 1985 $49.61 B $79.11 B $-29.5 B
April 1985 $94.6 B $83.21 B $11.39 B
May 1985 $39.79 B $81.79 B $-42 B
June 1985 $72.15 B $73.56 B $-1.41 B
July 1985 $57.65 B $79.18 B $-21.53 B
August 1985 $55.78 B $83.38 B $-27.6 B
September 1985 $73.81 B $74.58 B $-0.76 B
October 1985 $57.89 B $84.97 B $-27.09 B
November 1985 $51.17 B $84.55 B $-33.39 B
December 1985 $68.2 B $82.85 B $-14.66 B
January 1986 $76.7 B $83.19 B $-6.49 B
February 1986 $53.37 B $77.95 B $-24.58 B
March 1986 $49.56 B $79.7 B $-30.14 B
April 1986 $91.44 B $81.51 B $9.93 B
May 1986 $46.25 B $85.64 B $-39.4 B
June 1986 $77.02 B $78.07 B $-1.04 B
July 1986 $62.97 B $85.28 B $-22.3 B
August 1986 $56.52 B $84.58 B $-28.06 B
September 1986 $78.01 B $81.94 B $-3.93 B
October 1986 $59.01 B $84.3 B $-25.29 B
November 1986 $52.97 B $80.05 B $-27.09 B
December 1986 $78.04 B $90.4 B $-12.37 B
January 1987 $81.77 B $83.93 B $-2.16 B
February 1987 $55.46 B $83.84 B $-28.38 B
March 1987 $56.52 B $84.45 B $-27.93 B
April 1987 $122.9 B $84.16 B $38.74 B
May 1987 $47.69 B $83.33 B $-35.64 B
June 1987 $82.95 B $83.57 B $-0.62 B
July 1987 $64.22 B $86.56 B $-22.34 B
August 1987 $60.21 B $82.01 B $-21.8 B
September 1987 $92.41 B $77.21 B $15.2 B
October 1987 $62.3 B $93.11 B $-30.81 B
November 1987 $56.92 B $83.94 B $-27.02 B
December 1987 $85.47 B $109.83 B $-24.36 B
January 1988 $81.74 B $65.84 B $15.9 B
February 1988 $60.28 B $84.34 B $-24.07 B
March 1988 $65.66 B $94.95 B $-29.28 B
April 1988 $109.27 B $95.5 B $13.77 B
May 1988 $59.64 B $82.22 B $-22.58 B
June 1988 $99.14 B $90.01 B $9.13 B
July 1988 $60.63 B $83.55 B $-22.92 B
August 1988 $69.39 B $92.47 B $-23.08 B
September 1988 $97.74 B $87.57 B $10.17 B
October 1988 $63.58 B $90.59 B $-27.01 B
November 1988 $64.33 B $93.47 B $-29.14 B
December 1988 $93.66 B $106.45 B $-12.79 B
January 1989 $89.31 B $86.51 B $2.8 B
February 1989 $61.9 B $89.77 B $-27.87 B
March 1989 $68.21 B $103.99 B $-35.78 B
April 1989 $128.89 B $88.24 B $40.65 B
May 1989 $71.03 B $96.46 B $-25.43 B
June 1989 $108.25 B $100.46 B $7.79 B
July 1989 $66.19 B $84.43 B $-18.24 B
August 1989 $76.14 B $98.29 B $-22.15 B
September 1989 $99.23 B $105.38 B $-6.15 B
October 1989 $68.42 B $94.5 B $-26.08 B
November 1989 $71.17 B $100.91 B $-29.73 B
December 1989 $89.12 B $103.89 B $-14.77 B
January 1990 $99.52 B $91.24 B $8.28 B
February 1990 $65.14 B $100.35 B $-35.21 B
March 1990 $64.81 B $118.13 B $-53.32 B
April 1990 $139.6 B $97.78 B $41.83 B
May 1990 $69.19 B $111.67 B $-42.48 B
June 1990 $110.6 B $121.71 B $-11.11 B
July 1990 $72.33 B $98.25 B $-25.92 B
August 1990 $78.46 B $131.18 B $-52.72 B
September 1990 $102.94 B $82.17 B $20.77 B
October 1990 $76.99 B $108.35 B $-31.36 B
November 1990 $70.51 B $118.23 B $-47.72 B
December 1990 $101.9 B $109.29 B $-7.39 B
January 1991 $100.71 B $99.06 B $1.65 B
February 1991 $67.66 B $93.85 B $-26.19 B
March 1991 $64.81 B $105.98 B $-41.17 B
April 1991 $140.38 B $110.37 B $30.01 B
May 1991 $63.56 B $116.93 B $-53.37 B
June 1991 $103.39 B $105.97 B $-2.58 B
July 1991 $78.59 B $119.42 B $-40.83 B
August 1991 $76.43 B $120.08 B $-43.65 B
September 1991 $109.35 B $116.24 B $-6.89 B
October 1991 $78.07 B $114.66 B $-36.59 B
November 1991 $73.1 B $117.78 B $-44.68 B
December 1991 $103.64 B $106.17 B $-2.53 B
January 1992 $104.03 B $119.7 B $-15.67 B
February 1992 $62.75 B $111.93 B $-49.18 B
March 1992 $72.13 B $122.84 B $-50.71 B
April 1992 $138.35 B $123.75 B $14.6 B
May 1992 $62.18 B $108.96 B $-46.77 B
June 1992 $120.88 B $117.1 B $3.78 B
July 1992 $79.05 B $122.2 B $-43.15 B
August 1992 $78.1 B $102.84 B $-24.74 B
September 1992 $118.19 B $112.88 B $5.31 B
October 1992 $76.83 B $125.62 B $-48.79 B
November 1992 $74.63 B $107.36 B $-32.73 B
December 1992 $113.69 B $152.63 B $-38.95 B
January 1993 $112.72 B $82.9 B $29.82 B
February 1993 $65.98 B $114.48 B $-48.5 B
March 1993 $83.29 B $127.26 B $-43.97 B
April 1993 $132.02 B $124.2 B $7.82 B
May 1993 $70.64 B $107.61 B $-36.96 B
June 1993 $128.57 B $117.47 B $11.1 B
July 1993 $80.63 B $120.21 B $-39.58 B
August 1993 $86.74 B $109.82 B $-23.08 B
September 1993 $127.5 B $118.99 B $8.52 B
October 1993 $78.66 B $124.09 B $-45.42 B
November 1993 $83.1 B $121.48 B $-38.38 B
December 1993 $125.4 B $133.11 B $-7.71 B
January 1994 $122.96 B $107.71 B $15.25 B
February 1994 $73.19 B $114.75 B $-41.57 B
March 1994 $93.11 B $125.42 B $-32.32 B
April 1994 $141.32 B $123.87 B $17.45 B
May 1994 $83.54 B $115.6 B $-32.06 B
June 1994 $138.12 B $123.27 B $14.85 B
July 1994 $84.82 B $118.02 B $-33.2 B
August 1994 $97.33 B $121.61 B $-24.28 B
September 1994 $135.89 B $131.63 B $4.27 B
October 1994 $89.1 B $120.44 B $-31.34 B
November 1994 $87.75 B $124.99 B $-37.24 B
December 1994 $130.89 B $135.69 B $-4.8 B
January 1995 $131.88 B $116.24 B $15.63 B
February 1995 $82.62 B $120.98 B $-38.36 B
March 1995 $92.61 B $143.15 B $-50.54 B
April 1995 $165.47 B $115.75 B $49.72 B
May 1995 $90.48 B $130.04 B $-39.56 B
June 1995 $147.95 B $135.13 B $12.81 B
July 1995 $92.82 B $106.41 B $-13.58 B
August 1995 $96.64 B $130.49 B $-33.85 B
September 1995 $143.3 B $136.11 B $7.19 B
October 1995 $95.59 B $118.35 B $-22.76 B
November 1995 $90.09 B $128.54 B $-38.45 B
December 1995 $138.35 B $133.06 B $5.28 B
January 1996 $143 B $123.54 B $19.46 B
February 1996 $89.43 B $133.78 B $-44.35 B
March 1996 $89.09 B $136.16 B $-47.07 B
April 1996 $203.47 B $131.06 B $72.4 B
May 1996 $90.12 B $143.17 B $-53.05 B
June 1996 $152 B $117.66 B $34.34 B
July 1996 $103.89 B $130.75 B $-26.86 B
August 1996 $100 B $141.83 B $-41.83 B
September 1996 $157.67 B $122.41 B $35.26 B
October 1996 $99.66 B $139.46 B $-39.81 B
November 1996 $97.85 B $135.73 B $-37.88 B
December 1996 $148.49 B $130 B $18.49 B
January 1997 $150.72 B $137.35 B $13.36 B
February 1997 $90.29 B $134.3 B $-44.01 B
March 1997 $108.07 B $129.4 B $-21.32 B
April 1997 $228.59 B $134.65 B $93.94 B
May 1997 $94.49 B $142.99 B $-48.49 B
June 1997 $173.36 B $118.73 B $54.64 B
July 1997 $109.18 B $134.8 B $-25.62 B
August 1997 $103.48 B $138.67 B $-35.19 B
September 1997 $174.77 B $124.83 B $49.94 B
October 1997 $114.9 B $150.87 B $-35.97 B
November 1997 $103.48 B $120.83 B $-17.35 B
December 1997 $168 B $154.36 B $13.64 B
January 1998 $162.61 B $137.23 B $25.38 B
February 1998 $97.95 B $139.7 B $-41.75 B
March 1998 $117.93 B $131.74 B $-13.81 B
April 1998 $261 B $136.4 B $124.6 B
May 1998 $95.28 B $134.06 B $-38.78 B
June 1998 $187.86 B $136.75 B $51.11 B
July 1998 $119.72 B $143.81 B $-24.08 B
August 1998 $111.74 B $122.91 B $-11.17 B
September 1998 $181 B $143.57 B $37.42 B
October 1998 $119.97 B $152.41 B $-32.44 B
November 1998 $113.98 B $130.92 B $-16.94 B
December 1998 $178.65 B $183.8 B $-5.16 B
January 1999 $171.73 B $101.22 B $70.51 B
February 1999 $99.5 B $141.84 B $-42.34 B
March 1999 $130.42 B $152.82 B $-22.41 B
April 1999 $266.23 B $152.77 B $113.46 B
May 1999 $98.66 B $122.63 B $-23.97 B
June 1999 $199.51 B $145.94 B $53.57 B
July 1999 $121.92 B $147.09 B $-25.16 B
August 1999 $126.32 B $129.13 B $-2.8 B
September 1999 $200.41 B $142.37 B $58.04 B
October 1999 $121.04 B $147.36 B $-26.33 B
November 1999 $121.38 B $148.41 B $-27.03 B
December 1999 $201.2 B $168.11 B $33.08 B
January 2000 $189.48 B $127.33 B $62.15 B
February 2000 $108.68 B $150.41 B $-41.73 B
March 2000 $135.58 B $170.96 B $-35.38 B
April 2000 $295.15 B $135.65 B $159.5 B
May 2000 $146 B $149.61 B $-3.61 B
June 2000 $214.88 B $158.99 B $55.89 B
July 2000 $134.07 B $129.01 B $5.06 B
August 2000 $138.13 B $148.56 B $-10.43 B
September 2000 $219.49 B $153.74 B $65.75 B
October 2000 $135.84 B $147.16 B $-11.32 B
November 2000 $125.67 B $149.36 B $-23.69 B
December 2000 $200.49 B $167.82 B $32.67 B
January 2001 $219.22 B $142.84 B $76.38 B
February 2001 $110.48 B $158.65 B $-48.17 B
March 2001 $130.07 B $180.74 B $-50.66 B
April 2001 $331.8 B $142 B $189.8 B
May 2001 $125.59 B $153.51 B $-27.92 B
June 2001 $202.89 B $171.03 B $31.86 B
July 2001 $127.84 B $125.02 B $2.82 B
August 2001 $122.56 B $202.55 B $-79.99 B
September 2001 $158.61 B $123.11 B $35.5 B
October 2001 $157.16 B $164.82 B $-7.66 B
November 2001 $121.23 B $175.5 B $-54.27 B
December 2001 $187.91 B $161.35 B $26.57 B
January 2002 $203.45 B $159.72 B $43.73 B
February 2002 $97.96 B $174.02 B $-76.06 B
March 2002 $111.22 B $175.46 B $-64.24 B
April 2002 $237.43 B $170.26 B $67.17 B
May 2002 $102.5 B $183.13 B $-80.63 B
June 2002 $182.63 B $153.56 B $29.07 B
July 2002 $134.41 B $163.57 B $-29.16 B
August 2002 $124.62 B $179.33 B $-54.71 B
September 2002 $192.7 B $150.31 B $42.39 B
October 2002 $124.54 B $178.62 B $-54.07 B
November 2002 $120.02 B $178.9 B $-58.88 B
December 2002 $182.79 B $178.07 B $4.72 B
January 2003 $187.88 B $177.25 B $10.63 B
February 2003 $89.48 B $186.14 B $-96.66 B
March 2003 $120.36 B $179.23 B $-58.88 B
April 2003 $231.16 B $180.09 B $51.07 B
May 2003 $103.41 B $192.28 B $-88.87 B
June 2003 $193.04 B $171.81 B $21.23 B
July 2003 $123.55 B $177.79 B $-54.24 B
August 2003 $114.24 B $190.83 B $-76.59 B
September 2003 $191.63 B $168.23 B $23.4 B
October 2003 $135.82 B $205.37 B $-69.55 B
November 2003 $118.21 B $161.18 B $-42.97 B
December 2003 $186.73 B $204.37 B $-17.64 B
January 2004 $185.17 B $186.8 B $-1.63 B
February 2004 $92.01 B $188.71 B $-96.7 B
March 2004 $132.43 B $205.34 B $-72.91 B
April 2004 $220.09 B $202.51 B $17.58 B
May 2004 $115.45 B $177.91 B $-62.46 B
June 2004 $214.38 B $195.26 B $19.12 B
July 2004 $134.42 B $203.58 B $-69.16 B
August 2004 $137.73 B $178.86 B $-41.13 B
September 2004 $207.35 B $182.74 B $24.61 B
October 2004 $136.9 B $193.51 B $-56.62 B
November 2004 $134.55 B $191.72 B $-57.17 B
December 2004 $215.75 B $218.31 B $-2.56 B
January 2005 $202.22 B $194.11 B $8.11 B
February 2005 $100.87 B $214.66 B $-113.79 B
March 2005 $148.76 B $220.48 B $-71.72 B
April 2005 $277.61 B $219.69 B $57.92 B
May 2005 $152.73 B $188.92 B $-36.19 B
June 2005 $234.81 B $212.34 B $22.47 B
July 2005 $142.09 B $195.49 B $-53.4 B
August 2005 $155.44 B $206.47 B $-51.04 B
September 2005 $251.63 B $216.39 B $35.23 B
October 2005 $149.49 B $196.76 B $-47.28 B
November 2005 $138.84 B $221.91 B $-83.07 B
December 2005 $241.88 B $230.92 B $10.97 B
January 2006 $230.01 B $209.05 B $20.96 B
February 2006 $112.85 B $232.09 B $-119.24 B
March 2006 $164.56 B $249.84 B $-85.28 B
April 2006 $315.09 B $196.25 B $118.84 B
May 2006 $192.66 B $235.56 B $-42.91 B
June 2006 $264.36 B $243.84 B $20.52 B
July 2006 $159.76 B $192.93 B $-33.16 B
August 2006 $153.88 B $218.6 B $-64.72 B
September 2006 $283.3 B $227.13 B $56.17 B
October 2006 $167.69 B $217.01 B $-49.32 B
November 2006 $145.87 B $218.91 B $-73.04 B
December 2006 $259.97 B $218.01 B $41.96 B
January 2007 $260.61 B $222.37 B $38.24 B
February 2007 $120.31 B $240.31 B $-119.99 B
March 2007 $166.49 B $262.76 B $-96.27 B
April 2007 $383.64 B $205.97 B $177.67 B
May 2007 $164.24 B $231.94 B $-67.7 B
June 2007 $276.52 B $249.04 B $27.48 B
July 2007 $170.44 B $206.89 B $-36.45 B
August 2007 $166.55 B $283.52 B $-116.97 B
September 2007 $285.35 B $172.49 B $112.87 B
October 2007 $178.18 B $235.01 B $-56.84 B
November 2007 $151.06 B $249.29 B $-98.24 B
December 2007 $276.98 B $228.72 B $48.26 B
January 2008 $255.22 B $237.38 B $17.84 B
February 2008 $105.72 B $281.29 B $-175.56 B
March 2008 $178.82 B $227.03 B $-48.21 B
April 2008 $403.75 B $244.47 B $159.28 B
May 2008 $124.27 B $290.2 B $-165.93 B
June 2008 $259.91 B $226.37 B $33.55 B
July 2008 $160.49 B $263.26 B $-102.77 B
August 2008 $157.02 B $268.93 B $-111.91 B
September 2008 $272.23 B $226.49 B $45.73 B
October 2008 $164.83 B $320.36 B $-155.53 B
November 2008 $144.77 B $269.97 B $-125.2 B
December 2008 $237.79 B $289.54 B $-51.75 B
January 2009 $226.09 B $289.55 B $-63.46 B
February 2009 $87.31 B $281.17 B $-193.86 B
March 2009 $128.93 B $320.51 B $-191.59 B
April 2009 $266.21 B $287.11 B $-20.91 B
May 2009 $117.22 B $306.87 B $-189.65 B
June 2009 $215.34 B $309.67 B $-94.33 B
July 2009 $151.48 B $332.16 B $-180.68 B
August 2009 $145.53 B $249.08 B $-103.56 B
September 2009 $218.88 B $264.09 B $-45.21 B
October 2009 $135.29 B $311.66 B $-176.36 B
November 2009 $133.56 B $253.85 B $-120.29 B
December 2009 $218.92 B $310.33 B $-91.41 B
January 2010 $205.24 B $247.87 B $-42.63 B
February 2010 $107.52 B $328.43 B $-220.91 B
March 2010 $153.36 B $218.75 B $-65.39 B
April 2010 $245.26 B $327.95 B $-82.69 B
May 2010 $146.79 B $282.72 B $-135.93 B
June 2010 $251.05 B $319.47 B $-68.42 B
July 2010 $155.55 B $320.59 B $-165.04 B
August 2010 $164 B $254.52 B $-90.53 B
September 2010 $245.21 B $279.81 B $-34.61 B
October 2010 $145.95 B $286.38 B $-140.43 B
November 2010 $148.97 B $299.36 B $-150.39 B
December 2010 $236.88 B $315.01 B $-78.13 B
January 2011 $226.55 B $276.35 B $-49.8 B
February 2011 $110.66 B $333.16 B $-222.51 B
March 2011 $150.89 B $339.05 B $-188.15 B
April 2011 $289.54 B $329.93 B $-40.39 B
May 2011 $174.94 B $232.58 B $-57.64 B
June 2011 $249.66 B $292.74 B $-43.08 B
July 2011 $159.06 B $288.44 B $-129.38 B
August 2011 $169.25 B $303.39 B $-134.14 B
September 2011 $240.15 B $302.9 B $-62.75 B
October 2011 $163.07 B $261.54 B $-98.47 B
November 2011 $152.4 B $289.7 B $-137.3 B
December 2011 $239.96 B $325.93 B $-85.97 B
January 2012 $234.32 B $261.73 B $-27.41 B
February 2012 $103.41 B $335.1 B $-231.68 B
March 2012 $171.22 B $369.37 B $-198.16 B
April 2012 $318.81 B $259.69 B $59.12 B
May 2012 $180.71 B $305.35 B $-124.64 B
June 2012 $260.18 B $319.92 B $-59.74 B
July 2012 $184.59 B $254.19 B $-69.6 B
August 2012 $178.86 B $369.39 B $-190.53 B
September 2012 $261.57 B $186.39 B $75.18 B
October 2012 $184.32 B $304.31 B $-120 B
November 2012 $161.73 B $333.84 B $-172.11 B
December 2012 $269.51 B $270.7 B $-1.19 B
January 2013 $272.23 B $269.34 B $2.88 B
February 2013 $122.82 B $326.35 B $-203.54 B
March 2013 $186.02 B $292.55 B $-106.53 B
April 2013 $406.72 B $293.83 B $112.89 B

1789 to 1900 (Nominal Dollars)

1789 to 1849: Cumulative Surplus of $70 million dollars
1850 to 1900: Cumulative Deficit of $991 million dollars

1901 to 1939 (Nominal Dollars)

Year – Nominal Dollars – Surplus/Deficit

1901 – 63 million
1902 – 77 million
1903 – 45 million
1904 – 43 million
1905 – 23 million
1906 – 25 million
1907 – 87 million
1908 – 57 million
1909 – 89 million
1910 – 18 million
1911 – 11 million
1912 – 3 million
1913 – Breakeven
1914 – Breakeven
1915 – 63 million
1916 – 48 million
1917 – 853 million
1918 – 9.03 billion
1919 – 13.36 billion
1920 – 291 million
1921 – 509 million
1922 – 736 million
1923 – 713 million
1924 – 963 million
1925 – 717 million
1926 – 865 million
1927 – 1.15 billion
1928 – 939 million
1929 – 734 million
1930 – 738 million
1931 – 462 million
1932 – 2.76 billion
1933 – 2.6 billion
1934 – 3.59 billion
1935 – 2.8 billion
1936 – 4.3 billion
1937 – 2.2 billion
1938 – 89 million
1939 – 2.85 billion

Major Events from 1940 to 2012

Great Depression – 1929 to 1938
WWII – 1939 to 1945
Korean War – 1950 to 1953
Vietnam War – 1955 to 1975 (US combat units deployed in 1965)
Oil Embargo – 1973
Soviet Union Collapses – 1991
Gulf War – 1990-1991
9/11 – September 11th, 2001
Iraq War – 2003 to 2011
Global Financial Meltdown – 2007 to ?

In the last 69 years, the U.S. government has managed to post 12 surpluses, with the most recent coming in 2001.

The largest uninterrupted stretch of surpluses came between 1920 and 1930. This eventually came to an end after the government spent billions of dollars combating the Great Depression.

The largest uninterrupted stretch of deficits came between 1970 and 1997.

It’s hard to imagine that the United States will post a surplus anytime soon – will we give the 28 year stretch between 1970 and 1997 a run for its money?