WHERE D0 YOUR
INCOME TAX DOLLARS GO?
These coins show how the federal government spends our income tax dollars.
2%: Diplomacy, Development & War Prevention
3%: Energy, Science & Environment
2%: Social Programs, Education, & Training
~Romans 14:19
3%: Supports for the Economy
11%: General Government
Interest on non-military debt: 10%
Government operations: 1%
14%: Income Assistance
26%: Health Care
40%: Current & Past Wars
Pentagon & Related Spending: 27%
Interest on Debt from Past Pentagon
Spending 7%
Other Costs from Past Wars: 6%
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
This imbalanced spending has consequences: cuts in programs that help give people ladders out of poverty, as well as
missed opportunities to prevent war and address climate change. The Pentagon budget still accounts for 40 cents of
every tax dollar the U.S. government spends. Please ask your members of Congress to use your income tax dollars to
pay for what this nation really needs. Use FCNL’s website, fcnl.org, to send your message.
More details at fcnl.org/budget
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BREAK DOWN OF EXPENSES:
40%
Wars and preparation for war:
26%
Health care and research:
Wars and preparation for war. The Pentagon
(Department of Defense) budget and related military
programs, such as nuclear weapons production in
the Department of Energy, and foreign military
assistance. (27%) Share of interest on the public
debt that is due to past war spending. (7%) Veterans’
benefits and other costs of past wars. (6%)
The U.S. government is the biggest purchaser of
health care services in the world. The Department of
Defense and Veterans Affairs agencies account for a
large part of that purchase. In addition, your income
tax dollars support health care for children, elders
and families through the Medicaid program, Indian
Health, public health services and other programs.
The Medicare program is supported, for the most
part, by a separate payroll tax, and by premiums paid
by participants.
14%
Income Assistance:
The income gap between the richest and
poorest in the U.S. is so large that international
researchers would consider this measure a sign
of potential instability, if they were to see it in
another country. Some of that income gap is
mitigated by programs that include food
assistance, housing subsidies, unemployment
insurance, temporary income supports, and
energy assistance. The programs included here
are the ones that are available to eligible people,
based on income guidelines.
11%
General government:
The Legislative and Judicial branches and federal
agencies serving an all-government purpose (such
as Treasury, Justice, and General Services Administration) are included here. (1%) The interest on the
public debt that is not due to past spending for wars
is also included here. (10%)
6%
Social programs and supports for the
economy:
In this basket are all the programs that make
commerce possible, investments in rural and urban
development, transportation, and agriculture, along
with employment, education, child care assistance
and community programs.
3%
Energy, Science, and the Environment:
2%
Preventing war:
This small portion includes funding for the Environmental Protection agency, National Science Foundation, National Aeronautic and Space Administration,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the
non-nuclear part of the Department of Energy, most of
the Department of the Interior, plus the Forest Service
and Natural Resource Conservation Service.
The last 2% includes the entire State Department,
counting the diplomatic corps and the Agency for
International Development, support for the United
Nations and other international institutions, plus
non-military aid to other countries.
Source: FCNL calculations based on estimated FY2013 expenditures reported by the White House Office of Management and Budget in FY2014 budget documents, released March 11,
2014. (Analytical Perspectives, Table 29-1). This analysis covers the $2,537,133,000,000 “federal fund” budget, which is the spending supported by income taxes, estate taxes and other
general revenues. Not included are trust funds, such as Social Security, Medicare and highway trust funds, which are supported by dedicated revenues. For a complete data set, showing how
individual budget line items were categorized, please contact Ruth Flower at [email protected].
F R I E N D S C O M M I T T E E O N N AT I O N A L L E G I S L AT I O N
245 2ND STREET NE » WASHINGTON DC 20002 » (800) 630-1330 » FCNL.ORG