National Debt

National debt

Treasury bills, notes, bonds, and other debt obligations that constitute the debt owed by the federal government.

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National Debt

The total of all bonds and other debt owed by a government. Most of the time, the national debt comes from bonds and other debt securities, but some countries in the developing world borrow directly from international institutions such as the World Bank. The national debt may be internal, that is, owed to bondholders and banks within the country, or external, that is, owed to foreign governments, institutions, and/or individuals. In the United States, paying the interest on the national debt is a major part of the federal budget. See also: Deficit.

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National debt. The total value of all outstanding Treasury bills, notes, and bonds that the federal government owes investors is referred to as the national debt.

The government holds some of this debt itself, in accounts such as the Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment Insurance, and Highway, Airport and Airway Trust Funds. The rest is held by individual and institutional investors, both domestic and international, or by overseas governments.

There is a debt ceiling imposed by Congress, but it is typically raised when outstanding debt approaches that level.

Interest on the national debt is a major item in the federal budget, but the national debt is not the same as the federal budget deficit. The deficit is the amount by which federal spending exceeds federal income in a fiscal year.