Give students a look at how much money the U.S. government spends, takes in, and how that's varied in recent history.

We hear about the national deficit quite often. And when you're dealing with trillions of dollars, it can be hard to really comprehend what it actually looks like. This interactive infographic from the Congressional Budget Office allows users to get a visualization of the money the government spends, the money it takes in, and how the relationship between those two figures has varied over time.

Questions:

• The government spent more money than it earned in 2023. Why do you think this happened? What might it mean for the future?
• Most of the government's money goes to programs that help people, like Social Security and Medicare. Why is this important? How does it help people?
• The government has to pay a lot of money in interest because it borrowed money. Why is borrowing money expensive? How does it affect other things the government wants to do?
• The government gets money from taxes. What are some types of taxes you know about? How do taxes help pay for things we need?
• If you could decide how the government spends its money, what would you spend more on? What would you spend less on? Why?

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Looking for more interactive resources? Be sure to check out the NGPF Interactive Library. 

About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.