According to the Congressional Budget Office, the United States last had a budget surplus during fiscal year 2001. From fiscal years 2001 to 2009, spending increased by 6.5% of gross domestic product (from 18.2% to 24.7%) while taxes declined by 4.7% of GDP (from 19.5% to 14.8%).
The U.S. federal government has run annual deficits in 36 of the past 40 fiscal years, with surpluses from 1998–2001. Debt represents the accumulation of deficits over time.
The U.S. has had debt since its inception. Our records show that debts incurred during the American Revolutionary War amounted to $75,463,476.52 by January 1, 1791. Over the following 45 years, the debt grew. Notably, the public debt actually shrank to zero by January 1835, under President Andrew Jackson.
As of December 2019, the nation with the highest debt-to-GDP ratio is Japan, with a ratio of 237%. In 1992, Japans's Nikkei (stock market) crashed.
Foreign holders of United States treasury debt
Of the total 7.55 trillion held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions. China held 1.05 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. securities. Japan held 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars worth.
According to a report published by Moody's Analytics, the US GDP would decline, approximately 6 million jobs would be lost and the unemployment rate would increase dramatically. And, just as significantly, the country's track record, at least as far as paying its debts is concerned, would be irrevocably stained.
United States - public debt by month 2020/21
In December 2021, the public debt of the United States was around 29.62 trillion U.S. dollars, around 1.87 trillion more than a year earlier, when it was around 27.75 trillion U.S. dollars.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. budget deficit totaled $2.77 trillion for 2021, the second highest on record but an improvement from the all-time high of $3.13 trillion reached in 2020.
According to the Treasury Department, foreign governments hold about $7.7 trillion in U.S. debt, though no country holds more than 5% of the total. As of the end of November, the most recent data available, Japan was the largest foreign holder of U.S. debt, with $1.3 trillion.
Breaking Down Ownership of US Debt
China owns about $1.1 trillion in U.S. debt, or a bit more than the amount Japan owns. Whether you're an American retiree or a Chinese bank, American debt is considered a sound investment. The Chinese yuan, like the currencies of many nations, is tied to the U.S. dollar.
Public Debt
The public holds over $22 trillion of the national debt. 1 Foreign governments hold a large portion of the public debt as well, while the rest is owned by U.S. banks and investors, the Federal Reserve, state and local governments, mutual funds, pensions funds, insurance companies, and savings bonds.
The United States spent $725 billion on national defense during fiscal year (FY) 2020 according to the Office of Management and Budget, which amounts to 11 percent of federal spending.
By the end of 2021, the federal government had $28.43 trillion in federal debt. How did we end up with $28.43 trillion in federal debt? When the U.S. government has a deficit, most of the deficit spending is covered by the government taking on new debt.
The financial position of the United States includes assets of at least $269.6 trillion (1576% of GDP) and debts of $145.8 trillion (852% of GDP) to produce a net worth of at least $123.8 trillion (723% of GDP) as of Q1 2014.
The majority of the national debt is issued in the form of government bonds, known as Treasuries. Some worry that excessive government debt levels can impact economic stability with ramifications for the strength of the currency in trade, economic growth, and unemployment.
The Value of Money Might Increase
If we would quit acquiring debt, the central banks might no longer maintain excessive amounts of bills in circulation. This practice would have deflationary effects, potentially pushing the value of money up.
The federal net debt rose by $253.4 billion in 2020 to reach $942.5 billion or 42.7% of GDP, compared with 29.8% in 2019.
In fact, the last time the U.S. was able to completely pay off the national debt was about 186 years ago — back in 1835. Since the early 2000s, the national debt has consistently increased. ... To bring down the national debt, Edelberg said we'd have to either raise taxes or cut spending, which would be “painful.”
The Chinese government uses U.S. dollars it has on hand to buy Treasurys. It receives these dollars from Chinese companies that receive them as payments for their exports. China's demand for Treasurys helps keep U.S. interest rates low. It allows the U.S. Treasury to borrow more at low rates.
Repercussions. The repercussions for China of such an offloading would be worse. An excess supply of U.S. dollars would lead to a decline in USD rates, making RMB valuations higher. It would increase the cost of Chinese products, making them lose their competitive price advantage.
At the end of 2020, China's foreign debt, including U.S. dollar debt, stood at roughly $2.4 trillion. Corporate debt is $27 trillion, while the country's total public debt exceeds 300 percent of GDP.