US Published National Debt

$

The Truth

$

Each Taxpayer's Share: $933,000

Explore our database at https://www.data-z.org
 
  • Financial State of the Union 2023

    Our Financial State of the Union report found that the financial condition of the U.S. government worsened by more than $12.7 trillion in 2022.

     
  • Financial State of the Cities 2023

    This year's report highlights the volatility and risk surrounding pension plan assets and corresponding pension liabilities. We found that for most cities in the fiscal year 2021, pension assets increased dramatically because of strong markets. The resulting pension liability and money needed to pay bills decreased equally dramatically. Taxpayers can only hope that when pension plan investments need to be sold to pay for benefits, the market value of those investments will be high. If not, taxpayers will be on the hook to pay higher taxes to cover the promised benefits.

     

    To download the full report on the financial condition of the 75 most populous cities, click here.

     

     
  • Data-Z (data-base for state and city data)

    Create your own chart with more than 700 data variables, including demographic, economic and financial at the federal, state, and city level.

     
  • Financial State of the States 2022

    Thirty one states did not have enough money to pay all of their bills

     
more publications
  • The Debt Ceiling Debate Begins and Ends with Accounting Standards

    May 18, 2023

    The debt ceiling conversation begins and ends with poor accounting standards. 

    Let's look at the terminology used. 

    Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has declared we are in a "debt issuance suspension period." This is a fancy way to say, "We have already reached our credit limit but are using accounting gimmicks to pretend we haven’t.” 

    The government’s budgeting process uses cash-basis accounting while ignoring the Treasury Department's annual comprehensive financial report. In a nutshell, this flawed system means they don't consider how they will pay for their proposed spending and didn't even have the correct numbers when they enacted the budget.

    According to Secretary Yellen, the Treasury Department uses "extraordinary measures" to allow the government to continue its operations for a limited period. "Extraordinary measures" is code for "we don’t have the money, so we will just stop paying into the retirement funds of federal employees, like the Postal Benefits Fund or the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, just to name a few.” Creative accounting maneuvers are being used to skip these and other payments that must be paid back with interest, adding more to our national debt. It's an accounting shell game.

    READ MORE HERE.

  • Reducing regulatory and fiscal burdens key to attracting businesses

    May 15, 2023
    New Haven Biz

    "The solutions are simple; the politics are hard.

    Two months ago, I criticized the happy talk from Hartford because it obscures the financial challenges our state faces. Under nearly every objective analysis, Connecticut’s fiscal condition is deteriorating and to pretend things are fine does not serve the residents of this great state. According to Truth in Accounting, Connecticut is part of the Bottom Five “Sinkhole States” for taxpayer burden ranking 49th out of the 50 states. (Thanks, New Jersey!)"

  • Did your state receive a clean audit opinion? Maybe not

    May 13, 2023
    Accounting Today

    "Isn't it reasonable to expect that state governments' financial reporting have full accountability and thus, receive clean audit reports? The fact is that often, they do not. There are many reasons this happens, and this article explains those which occurred in the 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports of the 50 states. The reason 2021 is used for this review is that not all states have released their 2022 reports. A follow-up article will be written when this occurs."

read more in the news
view all stories here

Get this in your e-mail. Subscribe below.

Subscribe

Receive our newsletter, updates, and important research in your e-mail box.

 

Products and Resources