US Published National Debt
$19,846,371,512,624
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Financial State of the States reports
Each September, we launch our Financial State of the States report, which analyzes the finances of all 50 states. See our reports from 2009 - present.
Bill's Blog
Bill Bergman serves as TIA's Director of Research. He is responsible for managing TIA's federal project and State Data Lab's data base. Bergman spent 13 years as an economist and policy analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Financial State of the Cities
We analyzed the financial conditions of the 50 largest US cities. See how they rank here.
The Federal Project
Our Federal Project explores various aspects of government financial reporting, and will examine a different theme each month for the next year.
Financial State of the States 2015
Each year Truth in Accounting issues a report of the financial condition of each of the 50 states. Click here for our latest 2015 data to see how your state is doing.
Chicago police union responds to LGIS analysis of pension fund
June 26, 2017
Chicago City Wire
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7, the Chicago Police Department union, responded to projections estimating the Policemen’s Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago will require a taxpayer bailout to pay for retiree benefits in four years.
GASB 67 and GASB 68: What the new accounting standards mean for public pension reporting
June 22, 2017
Mercatus Center, George Mason University
Unfunded pension liabilities are now reported on the government balance sheets, producing a more accurate picture of government finances and increasing the visibility and the total amount of liabilities on the books.
Illinois among states seen at the precipice of a pension disaster
June 20, 2017
Sangamon Sun
"Many municipalities and school districts are already struggling with pension costs for workers, and for some, including Chicago, the possibility of bankruptcy has already been whispered about."
High police and fire pension rates send lawmakers scrambling
June 27, 2017
Arizona Capitol Times
A group of Arizona House lawmakers is launching an effort aimed at cutting the soaring costs to communities of police and fire pensions, with its leader warning that cities could end up declaring bankruptcy if legislators fail to act.
The pension treadmill is accelerating – and governments can’t possibly keep up
June 27, 2017
The American Interest
The U.S. public sector pension system is hurtling toward a catastrophic and potentially unavoidable collapse.
The long road to accrual accounting
June 27, 2017
Global Government Forum
The IPSAB interviews reveal the challenges involved in making the transition to accrual accounting and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs): these include the difficulty of overhauling financial systems and processes to log income and expenditure on a daily basis, retraining staff, and educating politicians about how to use the new information.
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