Official pages for the debt, interest expense, the budget, jobs, prices, the September 2026 CPI and employment release, GDP, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, and the 2027 retirement earnings test, SSI federal payment standard, and substantial gainful activity amounts. This is not investment or tax advice.
The size and official meaning of the national debt
Treasury Fiscal Data posts total public debt outstanding each business day, split into debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. This page does not copy the balance, and it is not a suggestion to buy or sell Treasuries. The video here is from America, Illustrated. It is an explanation, not a Treasury release.
From America, Illustrated. The player loads from youtube-nocookie.com after you press play. Not a Treasury video, and not investment advice.
Is $40 Trillion America's Deficit? The Two Books of US Debt, Explained · America, Illustrated
Is $40 Trillion America's Deficit? The Two Books of US Debt #Shorts · America, Illustrated
Interest expense is what Treasury pays on debt already issued. Monthly and fiscal-year figures are in the Interest Expense dataset. Treasury says an average rate times the debt outstanding is not that expense. No amount or rate is copied here.
Deficits and debt at the Congressional Budget Office
CBO’s budget and economic data include deficits, debt held by the public, and multiyear projections. Those are projections for Congress, not today’s Treasury balance and not a personal investment plan.
The Board of Governors explains FOMC decisions, statements, and meeting materials. This entry does not forecast the next decision or suggest an asset mix.
The Employment Situation uses both the household survey and the payroll survey, and the current text stays at one BLS news-release address. Who counts as employed or unemployed is explained in How the Government Measures Unemployment. One month is not a verdict on a job search or an investment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics news release USDL-26-1549, released October 2, 2026, reports the Employment Situation for September 2026. Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 29,000 in September and changed little. The unemployment rate was 4.2 percent, and the number of unemployed people was 7.1 million. Both changed little in September. The unemployment rate has remained in a narrow range of 4.1 percent to 4.3 percent since March. The Employment Situation for October 2026 is scheduled to be published on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET. One month is not a verdict on anyone’s job search or investments. Who counts as employed or unemployed is explained in the employment entry on this page and in How the Government Measures Unemployment. This page does not project later months.
The CPI measures price change for a basket of goods and services paid by urban consumers. It is not a quote for one neighborhood and not an investment return. No percentage is copied here.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics news release USDL-26-1574, published October 14, 2026, reports the Consumer Price Index for September 2026. The CPI-U rose 0.6 percent in September, seasonally adjusted, after 0.4 percent in August. Over the last 12 months, the all-items index rose 3.7 percent before seasonal adjustment, up from 3.4 percent for the 12 months ending August. Gasoline rose 9.1 percent in September and accounted for over half of the monthly increase. The CPI excluding food and energy rose 0.3 percent in the month and 2.6 percent over 12 months. The next CPI release, for October 2026, is scheduled for November 10, 2026. This page does not project later months or say what the figures mean for anyone’s finances. The CPI overview and Social Security’s cost-of-living adjustment are separate entries on this page.
BEA’s GDP measures final goods and services produced in the United States. Quarterly figures are revised, and real GDP is not current-dollar GDP. No reading of the latest move, and no portfolio advice.
On October 14, 2026, the Social Security Administration announced a 3.6 percent benefit increase for 2027. Social Security benefits use the higher amount starting in January 2027. SSI uses it starting December 31, 2026. The maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax rises to $192,300 for 2027, from $184,500 in 2026. Social Security tax on a paycheck applies up to that cap. People who receive benefits can read the new amount in a my Social Security notice. This page does not decide whether you owe the tax.
2027 retirement earnings test and SSI payment standard
The Social Security Administration’s 2027 COLA fact sheet, released with the press release of Wednesday, October 14, 2026, lists the retirement earnings test exempt amounts and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) federal payment standard. Under full retirement age, the exempt amount is $25,560 a year ($2,130 a month) in 2027, up from $24,480 a year ($2,040 a month) in 2026. One dollar in benefits is withheld for every $2 in earnings above the limit. In the year an individual reaches full retirement age, the exempt amount is $67,920 a year ($5,660 a month) in 2027, up from $65,160 a year ($5,430 a month) in 2026. One dollar in benefits is withheld for every $3 in earnings above the limit, and that test applies only to earnings in months before the individual reaches full retirement age. Beginning the month an individual reaches full retirement age, there is no limit. The SSI federal payment standard for 2027 is $1,029 a month for an individual (it was $994 in 2026) and $1,544 a month for a couple (it was $1,491 in 2026). The SSI resource limits on the fact sheet are unchanged: $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. The press release says increased SSI payments begin on December 31, 2026. Substantial gainful activity for 2027 is $1,770 a month for a non-blind person (it was $1,690 in 2026) and $2,950 a month for a blind person (it was $2,830 in 2026). The cost-of-living adjustment and the maximum earnings subject to Social Security tax are a separate entry on this page. This page does not decide your eligibility or benefit amount. Check with the Social Security Administration.