U.S. March Budget Deficit Rises To $53 Billion

The U.S. government ran a budget deficit of $53 billion in March, the Treasury Department reported Monday. The shortfall is $16 billion more than the same month last year, and brings the deficit for the fiscal year to date to $439 billion. The federal government spent $287 billion in March, up 14% from a year ago. Total receipts were $234 billion, up 8% from March 2014. The government's budget year runs from October through September. The Congressional Budget Office is predicting a full-year deficit of $486 billion, slightly more than last year's.