CBO analyzes 36 policy options commonly proposed by policymakers and analysts. Most of them would improve Social Security’s long-term finances, but only a few would significantly postpone the combined trust funds’ exhaustion date.
CBO Blog
To enhance the transparency of CBO’s work, the agency regularly provides information about the methods and calculations underlying its estimates.
The federal budget deficit was $200 billion for the first two months of fiscal year 2016, CBO estimates. That deficit was $22 billion larger than the one recorded during the same period last year.
CBO reviews the federal government’s current role in the multifamily mortgage market and four broad approaches to modifying that role.
The Defense Department could cut federal costs by replacing some military personnel in support positions with civilian employees. If DoD replaced 80,000 military personnel, it could eventually save $3.1 billion to $5.7 billion annually.
In 2016, low- and moderate-income workers will face an effective marginal tax rate of 31 percent, on average. Federal individual income and payroll taxes will be the main contributors.
In fiscal year 2015, the federal government supported the development, production, and use of fuels and energy technologies through tax preferences totaling $15.8 billion and spending by the Department of Energy totaling $5.4 billion.
CBO's revenue projections since 1982 have, on average, been a bit too high—more so for projections spanning six years than for those spanning two—but their overall accuracy has been similar to that of the projections of other agencies.
In fiscal year 2015, which ended on September 30, the federal budget deficit totaled $439 billion—$44 billion less than the shortfall in 2014. Fiscal year 2015 was the sixth consecutive year in which the deficit declined as a share of the nation's gross domestic product.
CBO Director Keith Hall spoke to the Board of Trustees for the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation about CBO’s latest long-term projections.