Use this calculator to find out what your federal income taxes pay for

Roughly 22% of US tax dollars go to Social Security

Social security is the US government’s largest expense. You can see other government expenses in a visual breakdown of what one US tax dollar actually pays for. Total spending amounts were converted to cents on the dollar and percentages.

Individual income taxes are the federal government's primary revenue source, see a tracker that breaks down where the rest of the budget comes from

The US government historically makes nearly half of its total revenue last year from individual income taxes. But the US makes also makes money from a variety of other sources, including Medicare taxes and corporate income taxes. However, the federal government has run a deficit since 2001—reaching a peak of $3.13T in 2020.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) accounted for 22.4% of all federal spending in 2024

The SSA is an independent executive branch agency that is primarily responsible for administering Social Security benefits. In fiscal year 2024, The SSA, ranking second among federal agencies in terms of total spending, behind only the Department of Health and Human Services.

The federal government sent roughly $1.1T to state and local governments in 2024

Federal grants support a large portion of state and local budgets, funding Medicaid, infrastructure, education, and housing. In FY 2024, these transfers made up about 16% of total federal spending.

An analysis of the National Science Foundation's historical budget and spending

The NSF accounted for 0.1% of all federal spending in FY2024, with $9.39B—just over twice its FY1991 spending—out of $6.78T overall. Almost 99% of these funds ($9.29B) went to general science and basic research, with the rest allocated to national defense.

Visualize government spending with USAFacts

This resource turns complex federal budget data into clear charts and summaries, letting users explore how much the government spends; where the money goes; and how revenue, deficits, and debt change over time.

How much the federal government pays in interest on the debt

A significant portion of annual funding goes to servicing the federal government's public debt, which stood at $36T in 2025. That amount required roughly $1T in interest payments just for the year.

The Department of Justice spent $44B in 2024

In fiscal year 2024, the Department of Justice spent approximately $44B—making it the 14th-largest federal agency by total spending. Its budget funds law enforcement activities, prosecutions, prisons, and grants to state and local justice initiatives.

Try to balance the budget

This interactive calculator challenges users to rebalance the federal budget by adjusting taxes and spending. Try your hand at weighing difficult trade-offs that shape long-term deficits, debt growth, and the sustainability of US public finances.

US public K-12 spending topped $857B in 2024

Public K-12 schools spent around $857B in 2024, averaging $17,277 per student. State and local sources shouldered nearly 90% of costs, and federal funds provided about $2,400 per pupil.

Nearly half of the discretionary funding in the US is allocated to national defense

The US accounts for roughly 35% of global military spending, with defense taking up nearly half of discretionary funds. In this discussion, Michael E. O'Hanlon of the Brookings Institution explains why these levels are so high—and how they compare historically.

The USPS spent $3.97B in 2024, accounting for .058% of the federal budget.

Estimate your Social Security benefits

To calculate your Social Security benefit, the government uses information such as your birthday, current earnings, future retirement date, and more. Calculate an estimation for your future Social Security monthly benefit here.

Americans spend an average of $200 on tax preparation services like TurboTax and H&R Block

In 2025, about half of Americans were able to file taxes directly with the IRS for free. It was the second year of the agency's new program, which cuts out intermediaries. Though tax preparation has been free for many Americans, critics say tax companies upsell customers.

Run your numbers in this marriage tax calculator

When it comes to federal income taxes, not every couple benefits from getting married. This calculator lets you see how much two specific people might pay if they were to get married based on their individual income levels and more. Specifically, the calculator compares the taxes a married couple would pay if they filed a joint return with what they would pay if they were unmarried and each filed as single.

The Constitution gives Congress sweeping control over the federal budget

Article I, Section 8's Spending Clause authorizes Congress to tax, pay debts, and promote the "common Defence and general Welfare," making it one of Congress's most powerful tools—and the constitutional foundation of federal budget control.

The global defense industry in one chart

The world's most valuable defense companies (for example, Lockheed Martin) make up much of the global defense industry. As of 2025, RTX led the pack with a roughly $183B market cap.

Explore internet usage data, including how humans consume 1.2 billion years of content yearly

About half this time consists of content from social media platforms, where the average user spends about 18.5 hours weekly. An estimated $3.66T was spent on consumer goods by online shoppers in 2025, though nonconsumer goods, such as flights and hotel stays, greatly increase this estimate.

Ranking the world’s economies: 1980 vs. 2025

The US remains the world’s largest economy, having increased its annual gross domestic product from $2.9T in 1980 to $30.6T in 2025. In 1980, China ranked seventh globally with a GDP of $304B. In 2025, China ranked second with a GDP of $19.4T.

Calculate your student loan payments

As of summer 2024, interest rates on federal student loans ranged from 6.5% for undergraduates to above 9% for loans taken out by parents (private loans can exceed 17%). The interest rate determines how quickly the amount owed grows. Use this calculator to estimate your monthly payments.

How World War II affects your wallet today

The world's deadliest conflict also impacted social programs extensively, including ways that still affect your money today. World War II is responsible for the practice of employers withholding tax payments and sponsoring health insurance, as well as the norm of providing school lunches for the nation's schoolchildren. Watch this brief video to learn more.

13 things Medicare gives you for free

Even people on Medicare, the US government health insurance program for people 65 and older, have to pay for their own co-pays and prescription drug costs. But other services, like alcohol counseling and colorectal screenings, may be free for Medicare recipients. To learn about 11 more things that are free with Medicare, scroll through this list.

How much do you pay in gas taxes?

The average national price jumped from $3.02 to $4.12 per gallon between March and April in 2026, but state prices range widely, from $3.66 in Texas to $5.79 in California, driven by differences in taxes, proximity to supply, and local competition.

America's financial burden from dementia in 2025 was $781 billion

That figure, calculated by researchers at the University of Southern California, includes medical and long-term care costs, unpaid family and friend caretaking, lost productivity for patients and their families, and the economic loss in quality of life for patients and their families. In 2025, they estimate there were 5.6 million people living with dementia.

The overall median annual salary in the US was $62,192 as of 2025

The age group with the highest median annual salary in the US, $70,824, was made up of people ages 45 to 54, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from July 28, 2025.

As of 2024, server products and cloud services make up 40% of Microsoft's revenue

These products generated $97.7B in the 2023-24 fiscal year, followed by office products and cloud services, which accounted for $54.9B during the same period. The fastest-growing revenue source was gaming at 39%, driven by sales of Xbox and first-party software.

Roughly 43 million US borrowers owe roughly $1.7T in student debt, the second-largest source of consumer debt behind mortgages.

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.

Use this tool to calculate the dollar value of your parental mental load, from meal planning to coordinating after-school care, then see resources that help generate solutions.

The United States is one of only around two dozen countries with a fully federal system of government, in which power is divided between national and state governments.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' infrastructure report card gave the US a C in 2025, its highest grade since the project launched in 1998.

Before the current East Wing ballroom project, only two White House renovations in the past 100 years cost more than $10M.

The US dollar is the most widely circulated currency in the world, and is involved in nearly 90% of global transactions

44% of Americans say they pray at least once a day—discover how your state's religiosity stacks up against the rest of the country.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

11 people died from firework injuries in the US in 2024.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

In 2025, four executives from large tech companies were given positions in the US Army Reserves—including Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, which reinforced Palantir's ties with the US military and its role as a leading defense partner.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

SpaceX's S-1 or 'prospectus' revealed many previously unknown details about the company, including its unprofitability despite doing $18.7B in revenue in 2025, exactly how many voting shares Elon Musk will have in the company (roughly 85%), and more.

Stanford built a Google Maps for the Roman Empire, revealing how much it cost to travel in the ancient world

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

The most expensive ad of all time was for Chanel No. 5 perfume and cost roughly $33M to produce in 2004—about $57M in today's dollars.

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.

About 12.5% of US adults experience a phobia in their lifetime, a diagnosis that hinges on the intense fear interfering with daily life and persisting for at least six months.

Explore our favorite visualization of the immense scale of space, from an astronaut to the size of the observable universe

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the largest ground war in Europe since World War II in casualties, forces mobilized, and displacement of civilians.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Tattoos remain visible on your skin thanks to immune cells called macrophages

English mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer algorithm a century before computers existed and hypothesized that computing devices would one day be able to compose music—foreseeing the generative AI systems of today.