.png)
German (DE) 
English (US) 
Spanish (ES) 
French (FR) 
Hindi (IN) 
Italian (IT) 
Russian (RU) Jing Pan
Sun, May 18, 2025, 7:07 AM 6 min read
Budget deficits are something we’ve come to expect from Uncle Sam. After all, without years of overspending, the federal government wouldn’t be sitting on trillions of dollars in debt. But, the latest monthly Treasury statement delivered a rare — and welcome — surprise.
In April 2025, the U.S. government collected $850.2 billion in receipts while spending $591.8 billion, resulting in a monthly budget surplus of $258.4 billion.
That’s not just any surplus — it’s the first monthly surplus of fiscal year 2025 (which began in October 2024), and the second-largest monthly surplus in U.S. history, behind only April 2022’s $308.2 billion surplus.
Does that mean President Trump’s plan is working?
-
Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how
-
I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast)
-
Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10)
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the surplus was driven by “large individual tax deposits,” with April being the due date for final payments on prior-year taxes and the first installment of quarterly estimated taxes for many individuals and businesses.
Individual income taxes alone brought in $537 billion — by far the biggest contributor to government revenue for April. Social insurance and retirement receipts followed at $184 billion, while corporate income taxes added $94 billion.
Customs duties — a reflection of Trump’s tariffs — generated $15.6 billion in April, more than double the $6.3 billion collected during the same month last year. Still, tariff revenue remains modest compared to other major contributors.
On the spending side, the biggest outlay for the month was Social Security at $132 billion, followed by $89 billion in net interest, $82 billion for Medicare, $76 billion for health and $70 billion for national defense.
Despite the hefty surplus, one strong month isn’t enough to reverse the broader fiscal trend. From October 1 through April 30, the U.S. government brought in $3.110 trillion in revenue but spent $4.159 trillion — resulting in a $1.049 trillion deficit for the fiscal year so far.
So it’s no surprise the national debt continues to soar. As of this writing, the total outstanding debt of the U.S. government sits at a staggering $36.212 trillion.
The takeaway? To run a surplus, you have to earn more than you spend. That might be a tall order for a government juggling countless programs — but for individuals, it’s a surprisingly simple (and achievable) strategy.
Comments