Federal Outlays
Returns total U.S. federal government outlays (spending) in billions of dollars. This data is sourced from the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
Data Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Source | U.S. Treasury / FRED |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Unit | Billions of USD |
| Seasonality | Seasonally adjusted |
Notes
- Outlays include all federal spending: mandatory programs, discretionary spending, and interest on debt
- Data is updated monthly with the latest available figures
- Use with
FederalReceipts()to calculate deficit or compare spending vs income
Syntax
=FederalOutlays()Returns
number
Federal government outlays in billions of dollars
Examples
Current federal outlays in billions
=FederalOutlays()/1000Calculate deficit (positive = deficit)
When to Use
- Tracking federal government spending trends
- Comparing outlays to receipts for deficit analysis
- Economic research on fiscal policy
- Budget analysis and forecasting
When NOT to Use
| Scenario | Use Instead |
|---|---|
| Need federal revenue | FederalReceipts() |
| Need deficit/surplus directly | FederalSurplusOrDeficit() |
| Need national debt | FederalDebt() |
Common Issues & FAQ
What unit is the result in?
Billions of U.S. dollars.
How often is the data updated?
Monthly, sourced from FRED/U.S. Treasury data.
Does this include state/local spending?
No, only federal government outlays.
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