Sources of Revenue for the Federal Government
Revenue by Source Categories
Click to explore sub-categories.
The $3.3 trillion the government collected in 2017 keeps the federal government in operation.
Most of the revenue the government collects comes from contributions from individual taxpayers, small businesses, and corporations through taxes that get collected on a yearly or quarterly basis. The remaining sources of federal revenue consist of excise, estate, and other taxes and fees.
Government revenue also comes from payments to federal agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior. Have you visited a national park recently?
What makes up individual income taxes? How much money is contributed by Social Security, Medicare, and General Retirement? What's included in the 12% of revenue that doesn't come from taxpayers or corporations? Explore the chart to find out.
Explore for yourself!
Click a category to see what subcategories make up the various sources of government revenue, including additional revenue sources outside federal taxes.
How has government revenue changed over time?
When you're done here, explore the trends in federal revenue over the past five years.
Not all federal revenue comes from taxes! Your national park entry fee also applies towards government revenue.
