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Federal debt limit of the United States 1940-2018
Federal debt limit of the United States 1940-2018
Statutory limits on Federal debt of the United States from 1940 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Jul 8, 2019
This graph shows the statutory debt limit on federal debt of the United States of America from 1940 to 2018. On September 8, 2017 the debt limit was raised to 20.46 trillion U.S. dollars.
Statutory limits on Federal debt of the United States from 1940 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)
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| Year | Debt limit in billion U.S. dollars |
|---|---|
| 1940 (June) | 49 |
| 1945 (April) | 300 |
| 1954 (August) | 281 |
| 1960 (June) | 293 |
| 1965 (June) | 328 |
| 1970 (June) | 395 |
| 1975 (November) | 595 |
| 1980 (December) | 935.1 |
| 1985 (December) | 2,078.7 |
| 1990 (November) | 4,145 |
| 1996 (March) | 5,500 |
| 2002 (June) | 6,400 |
| 2006 (March) | 8,965 |
| 2010 (February) | 14,294 |
| 2011 (August)* | 16,394 |
| 2013 (February) - Suspended** | 16,699.4 |
| 2015 (November) - Suspended*** | 18,113 |
| 2017 (March) - Suspended**** | 19,808.8 |
| 2017 (September) - Suspended***** | 20,456 |
| Year | Debt limit in billion U.S. dollars |
|---|---|
| 1940 (June) | 49 |
| 1945 (April) | 300 |
| 1954 (August) | 281 |
| 1960 (June) | 293 |
| 1965 (June) | 328 |
| 1970 (June) | 395 |
| 1975 (November) | 595 |
| 1980 (December) | 935.1 |
| 1985 (December) | 2,078.7 |
| 1990 (November) | 4,145 |
| 1996 (March) | 5,500 |
| 2002 (June) | 6,400 |
| 2006 (March) | 8,965 |
| 2010 (February) | 14,294 |
| 2011 (August)* | 16,394 |
| 2013 (February) - Suspended** | 16,699.4 |
| 2015 (November) - Suspended*** | 18,113 |
| 2017 (March) - Suspended**** | 19,808.8 |
| 2017 (September) - Suspended***** | 20,456 |
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Source: US Office of Management and Budget
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by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Jul 8, 2019
This graph shows the statutory debt limit on federal debt of the United States of America from 1940 to 2018. On September 8, 2017 the debt limit was raised to 20.46 trillion U.S. dollars.
- Source
- US Office of Management and Budget
- Show further sources information
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- March 2019
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1940 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
The fiscal year for the U.S. Government starts in Oct. 1. The annual amount of public debt outstanding is therefore drawn on September 30 each year.
Not all changes in debt limit could be covered in this statistic. Only selected years are shown to provide a general understanding.
* Effective after January 27, 2012.
**Suspended the existing debt limit from February 4, 2013, through May 18, 2013, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of May 19, 2013.
***Suspended the existing debt limit from November 2, 2015, through March 15, 2017, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of March 16, 2017.
**** Suspended the existing debt limit from September 8, 2017, through December 8, 2017, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of December 9, 2017.
***** Suspended the existing debt limit from February 9, 2018, through March 1, 2019, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of March 1, 2019. - Open this statistic in...
Source
- Source
- US Office of Management and Budget
- Show further sources information
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- March 2019
More information
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1940 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
-
The fiscal year for the U.S. Government starts in Oct. 1. The annual amount of public debt outstanding is therefore drawn on September 30 each year.
Not all changes in debt limit could be covered in this statistic. Only selected years are shown to provide a general understanding.
* Effective after January 27, 2012.
**Suspended the existing debt limit from February 4, 2013, through May 18, 2013, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of May 19, 2013.
***Suspended the existing debt limit from November 2, 2015, through March 15, 2017, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of March 16, 2017.
**** Suspended the existing debt limit from September 8, 2017, through December 8, 2017, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of December 9, 2017.
***** Suspended the existing debt limit from February 9, 2018, through March 1, 2019, and prospectively increased the limit to accommodate the increase in such debt outstanding as of March 1, 2019. - Open this statistic in...
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