The U.S. government recorded a $284.4 billion budget surplus in October 2025, compared with a $257.5 billion deficit in the same month a year earlier. Receipts rose 23.8% year-on-year to $404.4 billion, driven by individual income taxes ($216.95 billion), social insurance and retirement receipts ($123.85 billion), and customs duties ($31.35 billion). The increase reflected seasonal and collection timing effects that lifted tax and customs receipts in the month. Meanwhile, outlays rose 17.9% to $688.7 billion, with Medicare ($150.56 billion), Social Security ($134.14 billion), and national defense ($99.94 billion) the largest spending categories; several payments (including Medicare and veterans’ benefits) accelerated into October because the normal November payment date fell on a non-business day. For the fiscal year-to-date through October, the budget deficit stood at $284.35 billion, compared with a $257.45 billion deficit in the same period a year earlier.