Where your federal tax goes
Enter what you paid in federal tax. The calculator splits it the way the government actually spent in fiscal year 2025, with interest on the debt as its own line.
Income tax plus the Social Security and Medicare tax on your pay slip
$1,661 of your $12,000 went to interest on the national debt.
| Where it went | Share of spending | Your share |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security | 22.5% | $2,705.89 |
| Medicare | 14.2% | $1,706.23 |
| Health | 14.0% | $1,675.69 |
| Net Interest | 13.8% | $1,661.11 |
| National Defense | 13.1% | $1,569.16 |
| Income Security | 10.0% | $1,201.00 |
| Everything else, net | 7.0% | $842.84 |
| Veterans Benefits and Services | 5.4% | $645.64 |
| Transportation | 2.1% | $249.59 |
| Undistributed Offsetting Receipts | -2.1% | −$257.16 |
| Total | 100% | $12,000.00 |
Shares are of everything the federal government spent in fiscal year 2025. Your own tax bill funded part of it; the rest was borrowed, which is why the debt grows. Negative lines are money flowing back in, for example repayments and fees.
Educational estimate, not financial advice. Everything is calculated in your browser — nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
How this calculator works
Every line is that function’s share of total federal outlays in fiscal year 2025, taken from the Monthly Treasury Statement (data as of September 30, 2025). Your amount is that share of what you entered.
Two honest caveats. First, nobody’s tax is earmarked: this is an average, not a trace of your own dollars. Second, spending was larger than revenue, so the page also shows how much was borrowed on top.
Common questions
How much of my federal tax pays interest on the debt?
13.8% of federal spending in fiscal year 2025 was net interest, so on $12,000 of tax that is $1,661 — before a single road, soldier or benefit cheque.
Why do the shares add up to spending, not to my tax?
Because the government spent more than it collected. In fiscal year 2025 it spent $1.34 for every dollar of revenue, so 25.3% of the spending was borrowed. The receipt shows where the money went; the borrowed part is named separately.
Which taxes should I enter?
Federal income tax plus the Social Security and Medicare tax withheld from your pay. Leave out state and local tax: this receipt only covers the federal budget.
What are the negative lines?
Money flowing back to the government inside the budget, for example loan repayments and offsetting receipts. They are kept as negative lines instead of being dropped, so the total still adds up.
Sources
- Federal outlays by function, FY2025US Treasury — Monthly Treasury StatementSeptember 30, 2025
All figures are fetched from the publishers above when this site is built; your browser does not contact them. This site is independent and is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by the Federal Reserve System, any Federal Reserve Bank or any government agency. Nothing here is financial advice.