Where do my taxes go in the US? (FY 2025)

🇺🇸 The US · FY 2025

In FY 2025, the federal government spent about US$7.01 trillion. The single biggest line was Social Security: US$1.58 trillion, or about $225 of every $1,000 it spent.

See your personal tax receipt →

Where state taxes go in all 50 states →

The biggest spending lines

Social SecurityUS$1.58 trillion · $225 per $1,000
Your future self would like to RSVP to this budget line.
National defenceUS$1.29 trillion · $184 per $1,000
The hardware has a budget. Your printer still refuses to connect.
Transfers to statesUS$1.22 trillion · $174 per $1,000
Your tax dollars took an interstate road trip.
MedicareUS$996.7 billion · $142 per $1,000
Your money is helping pay medical bills. It still cannot diagnose your Wi-Fi.
Interest on debtUS$970.1 billion · $138 per $1,000
Even Uncle Sam pays interest. The credit card companies must be jealous.

These 5 lines add up to 86% of total spending. The rest is spread across smaller programs.

Source: US Treasury Combined Statement FY 2025 ↗

And the weird stuff

Big budget lines are dull. These real American examples are not.

🚧 Boston’s Big Dig highway tunnelUS$24.3 billion full cost estimate · 2012
🩺 The HealthCare.gov websiteUS$1.7 billion contracts by 2014 · 2014
🌁 The “Bridge to Nowhere” in AlaskaUS$398 million projected cost · 2007
⛽ A natural-gas fuel station in AfghanistanUS$43 million one fuel station · 2015
🌲 Forest-pattern uniforms for the Afghan armyUS$28 million possible extra cost · 2017

See all 15 examples of government waste in the US →

Quick answers

Where do most American taxes go?

The biggest single line in FY 2025 was Social Security, at about 23% of federal government spending.

How much of the US’s spending goes to interest on debt?

About US$970.1 billion in FY 2025, or roughly $138 of every $1,000 spent.

How much does the US spend on defence?

About US$1.29 trillion in FY 2025, roughly 18% of total spending.

Does this include state taxes?

No. These are federal figures. State income and sales taxes fund separate state budgets; our US page shows where state money goes in all 50 states and DC.

Does my tax pay for one specific thing?

No. Taxes go into a general pool. These figures show how total spending is divided, so they work as an illustration of your share, not a literal receipt.

Other countries

🇨🇦 Where do taxes go in Canada?🇬🇧 Where do taxes go in the UK?🇦🇺 Where do taxes go in Australia?🇳🇿 Where do taxes go in New Zealand?