Federal debt, fiscal year-end
U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service · fiscal year · 33 observations
+6.7% vs prior FY
Source: U.S. Treasury
About this series
What it measures
The total face value of Treasury debt outstanding, including debt held by the public and debt held by government trust funds. The figure shown is the last business day of each fiscal year (Sept. 30).
Why it matters
It is the official running total of what the federal government has borrowed and is the figure the debt limit applies to (with small adjustments).
Common misreads
Gross debt includes debt that one part of government owes another, such as trust funds; debt held by the public is the part sold to outside investors. The figure is in nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation or the size of the economy, and new highs in dollar terms are common.