Who does the US owe money to? 2020 update I Up to Us (2024)

FAQs

Who does the US owe money to? 2020 update I Up to Us? ›

The public owes 74 percent of the current federal debt. Intragovernmental debt accounts for 26 percent or $5.9 trillion. The public includes foreign investors and foreign governments. These two groups account for 30 percent of the debt.

The federal government borrows money from the public by issuing securities—bills, notes, and bonds—through the Treasury. Treasury securities are attractive to investors because they are: Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Offered in a wide range of maturities.

China focuses on export-led growth to help generate jobs. To keep its export prices low, China must keep the renminbi low compared to the U.S. dollar. U.S. debt to China comes in the form of U.S. Treasuries, largely due to their safety and stability.

At the end of September 2023, domestic creditors held 77 percent of the outstanding debt held by the public. Foreign creditors held the remaining 23 percent. The Federal Reserve typically accounts for a significant proportion of debt held by the public owned by domestic investors.

The national debt is the total amount of money the U.S. owes its creditors, which includes “the public” (individual investors, businesses, commercial banks, pension funds, mutual funds, state and local governments, the Federal Reserve System and foreign governments) as well as other parts of the federal government, ...

Thus, debt is continually paid down and new debt incurred, to be paid down by creation of new debt, ad infinitum. If total indebtedness as a percentage of the national economy does not grow, this can continue forever.

The largest holder of U.S. debt is the U.S government. Which agencies own the most Treasury notes, bills, and bonds? Social Security, by a long shot. The U.S. Treasury publishes this information in its monthly Treasury statement.

1837: Andrew Jackson

(In 1835, the $17.9 million budget surplus was greater than the total government expenses for that year.) By January of 1835, for the first and only time, all of the government's interest-bearing debt was paid off.

1) Switzerland

Switzerland is a country that, in practically all economic and social metrics, is an example to follow. With a population of almost 9 million people, Switzerland has no natural resources of its own, no access to the sea, and virtually no public debt.

Who is buying U.S. debt now? ›

The international buying appetite has been falling over the past 10 years (dropping from 40% to the current 30%). The major international owners of US debt include Japan ($1.1T), China, UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Cayman Islands and smaller amounts from the rest of the world.

The federal government needs to borrow money to pay its bills when its ongoing spending activities and investments cannot be funded by federal revenues alone. Decreases in federal revenue are largely due to either a decrease in tax rates or individuals or corporations making less money.

If China called in all of its U.S. holdings, the U.S. dollar would depreciate, whereas the yuan would appreciate, making Chinese goods more expensive.

Foreign countries buy US Treasury securities since they are considered as one of the most secure assets. Among other countries, Japan and China have continued to be the top owners of US debt during the last two decades.

One of the main culprits is consistently overspending. When the federal government spends more than its budget, it creates a deficit. In the fiscal year of 2023, it spent about $381 billion more than it collected in revenues. To pay that deficit, the government borrows money.

Not surprisingly, as big as the debt is, government securities remain a prime investment, and the government still borrows at lower interest rates than any other lender.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 2: [The Congress shall have Power . . . ] To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; . . .

30, 2020, the federal debt was $26.9 trillion—up $4.2 trillion from last year, due largely to the government's COVID-19 response. Treasury's Fiscal Service borrows the money for federal operations. It reports the debt in a financial statement called the Schedule of Federal Debt.

In addition to making laws, the legislative branch decides how the government will spend its money. Article I, Section 8, Clause 2 of the Constitution is known as the "spending and borrowing power." It grants Congress broad power to borrow and spend money as it sees fit for the "general welfare" of the country.