Defining the Government's Debt and Deficit

Defining the Government's Debt and Deficit
Author: Timothy C. Irwin
Publisher:
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2016
Genre:
ISBN:

Although the budget deficit and the public debt feature prominently in political debate and economic research, there is no agreement about how they should be measured. They can be defined for different sets of public institutions, including the nested sets corresponding to central government, general government, and the public sector, and, for any definition of government, there are many measures of the debt and deficit, including those generated by four kinds of accounts (cash, financial, full accrual, and comprehensive), which can be derived from four nested sets of assets and liabilities. Each debt and deficit measure says something about public finances, but none tells the whole story. Each is also vulnerable to manipulation, and is likely to be manipulated if it is subject to a binding fiscal rule or target. Narrow definitions of government encourage the shifting of spending to entities outside the defined perimeter of government. Narrow definitions of debt and deficit encourage operations involving off-balance-sheets assets and liabilities, while broad measures are susceptible to the mismeasurement of on-balance-sheet assets and liabilities. Reviewing the literature on these issues, the paper concludes that governments should publish several measures of the debt and deficit in a form that clearly reveals their interrelationships.

Defining the Government’s Debt and Deficit

Defining the Government’s Debt and Deficit
Author: Mr.Timothy Irwin
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 36
Release: 2015-11-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 151354750X

Although the budget deficit and the public debt feature prominently in political debate and economic research, there is no agreement about how they should be measured. They can be defined for different sets of public institutions, including the nested sets corresponding to central government, general government, and the public sector, and, for any definition of government, there are many measures of the debt and deficit, including those generated by four kinds of accounts (cash, financial, full accrual, and comprehensive), which can be derived from four nested sets of assets and liabilities. Each debt and deficit measure says something about public finances, but none tells the whole story. Each is also vulnerable to manipulation, and is likely to be manipulated if it is subject to a binding fiscal rule or target. Narrow definitions of government encourage the shifting of spending to entities outside the defined perimeter of government. Narrow definitions of debt and deficit encourage operations involving off-balance-sheets assets and liabilities, while broad measures are susceptible to the mismeasurement of on-balance-sheet assets and liabilities. Reviewing the literature on these issues, the paper concludes that governments should publish several measures of the debt and deficit in a form that clearly reveals their interrelationships.

Defining the Government’s Debt and Deficit

Defining the Government’s Debt and Deficit
Author: Mr.Timothy C Irwin
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 16
Release: 2016-11-17
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1475555512

Although the budget deficit and the public debt feature prominently in political debate and economic research, there is no agreement about how they should be measured. They can be defined for different sets of public institutions, including the nested sets corresponding to central government, general government, and the public sector, and, for any definition of government, there are many measures of the debt and deficit, including those generated by four kinds of accounts (cash, financial, full accrual, and comprehensive), which can be derived from four nested sets of assets and liabilities. Each debt and deficit measure says something about public finances, but none tells the whole story. Each is also vulnerable to manipulation, and is likely to be manipulated if it is subject to a binding fiscal rule or target. Narrow definitions of government encourage the shifting of spending to entities outside the defined perimeter of government. Narrow definitions of debt and deficit encourage operations involving off-balance-sheets assets and liabilities, while broad measures are susceptible to the mismeasurement of on-balance-sheet assets and liabilities. Reviewing the literature on these issues, the paper concludes that governments should publish several measures of the debt and deficit in a form that clearly reveals their interrelationships.

Federal Debt

Federal Debt
Author: Paul L. Posner
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Total Pages: 68
Release: 2000-07
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780788188923

The unified budget of the federal government is projected to have a surplus for at least a decade. However, large annual budget deficits over the past 2 decades sharply increased the total amount of debt owed to the public and its associated annual interest payments. This report presents current information on the federal debt, including how debt is defined and measured; who holds federal debt; how much it has grown in recent years; and its significance to the nat. economy. Information is provided in a clear, concise and easily understandable manner for a nontechnical audience. Includes a short bibliography for readers who are interested in more detailed information.

The Budget Deficit and the National Debt

The Budget Deficit and the National Debt
Author: Kenneth W. Thompson
Publisher:
Total Pages: 200
Release: 1997
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

The Budget Deficit and National Debt analyzes and attempts to better understand the problems associated with the debt and deficit. The theme of this book parallels the Miller Center's primary focus on governance and the presidency. The president is a key actor in submitting, approving, and administrating the budget. Therefore, the study of debt and deficit is in keeping with the Miller Center's focus on governance and the presidency. The book is divided into four sections. The first section discusses the debt and deficit from a variety of political perspectives and ideological approaches. Three contributors, representing different schools of thought and professional backgrounds, provide separate frameworks for considering the budget and deficit. The first section contrasts liberal, conservative, and independent views and compares the effects of the deficit on federal and local governments. The second section provides an overview of the origins and growth of the deficit and its effect on the U.S. economy. The authors outline interaction among and competition between economic and political forces operating in the United States, and they debate the merits of deficit reduction proposals. The third section examines the economic and political ramifications of the deficit, reviewing tactical and strategic errors and their consequences. The book concludes with a discussion of the political struggle over controlling the deficit and chronicles the ambitions and rivalries of two key political figures--Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich. Their dispute over the seven year balanced-budget plan had significant influence on the policies of debt and deficit.

Federal Debt

Federal Debt
Author: United States. General Accounting Office
Publisher:
Total Pages: 52
Release: 1996
Genre: Budget deficits
ISBN:

Articles, reports, and books on the federal debt and its effects tend to be complex and technical. As a result, the public frequently misunderstands these issues. For example, people often forget that even if Congress and the President agree to balance the annual budget within the next several years, the federal debt will continue to grow until balance is actually achieved. Although declining deficits and, ultimately, balanced budgets could reduce the debt as a share of the economy, the debt will not decline unless there is a budget surplus. This document responds to frequently asked questions about the federal debt, deficits, and interest rates. GAO organizes these questions into three sections: (1) trends in the federal debt, deficits, and interest; (2) sales and ownership of federal debt; and (3) effects of the federal debt. For readers who are interested in more detailed information on these topics, GAO includes a short bibliography.

Federal Deficits and Debt

Federal Deficits and Debt
Author: Jamie Malone
Publisher:
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2016
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781536102697

The federal government incurs a budget deficit (also known as a net deficit) when its total outgoing payments (outlays) exceed the total money it collects (revenues). If instead federal revenues are greater than outlays, then the federal government generates a surplus. Deficits are measured over the course of a defined period of time--in the case of the federal government, a fiscal year. Over time, persistent budget deficits can hamper economic growth. Federal debt, either publicly held or intragovernmental, is funded through private capital. In the absence of federal debt, a portion of such funding would likely have been used on private investment projects that could increase the future productive capabilities of the economy. Large or rapidly increasing debt levels could also make the economy more susceptible to a recession, although that dynamic has not manifested itself in the United States. This book explores distinctions in the concept and composition of deficits and debt, explains how these two measures interact, and discusses their possible effects on the economy. Furthermore, the book discusses the size of projected budget deficits; how much the deficit would need to be reduced to return to long-term sustainability; analyzes alternative time frames for reducing the deficit; and discusses broad policy choices for reducing the deficit.

What We Owe

What We Owe
Author: Carlo Cottarelli
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2017
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780815730675

Bringing clarity to what should, and can, be done about public debt The euro crisis, Japan's sluggish economy, and partisan disagreements in the United States about the role of government all have at least one thing in common: the worries about high levels of public debt. Nearly everyone agrees that public debt in many advanced economies is too high to be sustainable and must be addressed. There is little agreement, however, about when and how it should be confronted--or even, in many cases, just how serious the debt problem is. As the former director of the International Monetary Fund's Fiscal Affairs Department, Carlo Cottarelli has helped countries across the globe confront their public finance woes. He also had direct experience in advising his own country, Italy, about its chronic fiscal ailments. In this straightforward, plain-language book, the author explains how and why excessive public debt can harm economic growth and can lead to crises such as those experienced recently in Italy and several other European countries. But Cottarelli also has some good news: reducing public debt often can be done without trauma and through moderate changes in public spending habits. His book focuses on positive remedies that countries can adopt to deal with their public debt, analyzing both the benefits and potential downsides to each approach, as well as suggesting which remedies might be preferable in particular situations. Too often, public debate about public debt is burdened by lies and myths. This book not only explains the basic facts about public debt but also aims to bring truth and reasoned analysis to the debate.

A Nation in Debt

A Nation in Debt
Author: Richard H. Fink
Publisher:
Total Pages: 332
Release: 1987
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

The Deficit Myth

The Deficit Myth
Author: Stephanie Kelton
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Total Pages: 311
Release: 2020-06-09
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1541736206

A New York Times Bestseller The leading thinker and most visible public advocate of modern monetary theory -- the freshest and most important idea about economics in decades -- delivers a radically different, bold, new understanding for how to build a just and prosperous society. Stephanie Kelton's brilliant exploration of modern monetary theory (MMT) dramatically changes our understanding of how we can best deal with crucial issues ranging from poverty and inequality to creating jobs, expanding health care coverage, climate change, and building resilient infrastructure. Any ambitious proposal, however, inevitably runs into the buzz saw of how to find the money to pay for it, rooted in myths about deficits that are hobbling us as a country. Kelton busts through the myths that prevent us from taking action: that the federal government should budget like a household, that deficits will harm the next generation, crowd out private investment, and undermine long-term growth, and that entitlements are propelling us toward a grave fiscal crisis. MMT, as Kelton shows, shifts the terrain from narrow budgetary questions to one of broader economic and social benefits. With its important new ways of understanding money, taxes, and the critical role of deficit spending, MMT redefines how to responsibly use our resources so that we can maximize our potential as a society. MMT gives us the power to imagine a new politics and a new economy and move from a narrative of scarcity to one of opportunity.