Fiscal Policy

Fiscal policy refers to the federal government's spending, budget, and tax policies set by the President and Congress. Learn how fiscal policy works and the ways it impacts the U.S. economy to better understand what it means for your personal finances.

How Fiscal Policy Impacts the Economy

Current U.S. Federal Government Spending :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/PresidentBidenMeetsWithBusinessLeadersOnDebtCeiling-30002aa063a14473827c1aec4c2a73a0.jpg)

Guide to the Federal Budget Process :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/currentfederalbudget-69f8c6b6a933487789833e7d44b4b2b6.jpg)

U.S. Federal Budget Breakdown :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/the-u-s-debt-and-how-it-got-so-big-3305778_color_final-538b04eac2d647d298d0a0d0a2ba8749.png)

How Did the U.S. National Debt Get So Big?

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is fiscal policy?

    Fiscal policy refers to decisions the U.S. government makes about spending and collecting taxes and how these policy changes influence the economy. When the government makes financial decisions, it has to consider the effect those decisions will have on businesses, consumers, foreign markets, and other interested entities.

  • What is expansionary fiscal policy?

    Expansionary fiscal policy is when the government expands the money supply in the economy using budgetary tools to either increase spending or cut taxes—both of which provide consumers and businesses with more money to spend.

  • Who is responsible for fiscal policy?

    The President and their administration and Congress are responsible for fiscal policy.1

  • What are the primary tools of fiscal policy?

    The primary tools of fiscal policy are collecting taxes and government spending. The government can raise or lower taxes when needed to ensure its fiscal policy goals are achieved. The same goes for government spending.

  • What is contractionary fiscal policy?

    Contractionary fiscal policy is when the government either cuts spending or raises taxes. It gets its name from the way it contracts the economy. It reduces the amount of money available for businesses and consumers to spend to slow economic growth.

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What Is Year-Over-Year (YOY)? :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/young-woman-having-a-coffee-in-her-apartment-while-browsing-the-web-on-tablet-1135396167-048e19f9c53744b4bc1b723a0e92403e.jpg) U.S. National Debt by Year

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  1. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. " What Is the Difference Between Monetary Policy and Fiscal Policy, and How Are They Related?"
  2. The White House. " The Debt Ceiling: An Explainer."
  3. Congressional Budget Office. " An Introduction to the Congressional Budget Office."