US National Debt Share Calculator
Calculate your individual portion of the United States national debt and project future growth.
Calculation Summary
Current Debt Per Citizen:
Projected National Debt (in 10 years):
Future Debt Per Citizen:
Understanding the United States National Debt
The US national debt represents the total amount of outstanding borrowing by the US Federal Government accumulated over the nation's history. When the government spends more than it collects in tax revenue (a "deficit"), it must borrow money to cover the gap, usually by issuing Treasury securities.
Debt vs. Deficit: What is the Difference?
It is common to confuse these two terms. The deficit is a yearly measurement—the difference between what the government takes in and what it spends in a single fiscal year. The national debt is the cumulative total of all those yearly deficits plus interest, minus any years where there was a surplus.
Example Calculation: How Your Share is Determined
To understand the magnitude of the debt, economists often break it down "per capita" or "per taxpayer." Using this calculator, here is how the math works:
- Current Debt: $34.5 Trillion
- US Population: 336 Million
- Calculation: $34,500,000,000,000 ÷ 336,000,000 = $102,678.57
Why the Projected Debt Matters
As the national debt grows, the cost of servicing that debt (paying the interest) also increases. This can lead to "crowding out," where the government must spend more on interest payments and less on public services like infrastructure, education, or defense. By projecting the debt over 5, 10, or 20 years, we can visualize the long-term fiscal trajectory of the country based on current deficit spending trends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the US debt?
The debt is held by a mix of domestic and international investors, as well as parts of the US government itself (like the Social Security Trust Fund).
Is a high national debt always bad?
Not necessarily. Debt can be used to stimulate the economy during recessions or fund essential long-term investments. However, most economists agree that a debt-to-GDP ratio that grows indefinitely is unsustainable in the long run.