WASHINGTON — The federal government ran a $10.4 billion deficit in January, the Treasury Department reported Wednesday.
The deficit followed a $53.2 billion surplus in December.
Outlays in January totaled $306.4 billion, compared to $230.0 billion in December. Receipts totaled $296.0 billion in January, compared to $283.2 billion for the previous month.
Fiscal year to date, there was a $184.0 billion deficit, compared to a $290 billion deficit for the same period last year. The federal government's 2014 fiscal year began Oct. 1.
In January 2013, the government ran a $2.9 billion surplus. A Treasury official said that 38 of the last 60 Januarys were deficits
Year-over-year changes to January and to fiscal year-to-date results were impacted by timing-related transactions, Treasury said. Taking into account calendar adjustments, January 2014 would have had a $4 billion surplus, which is $17 billion more than the adjusted deficit in January 2013. The adjusted fiscal year to date deficit through January 2014 is $144 billion, compared to an adjusted $290 billion fiscal year to date deficit through January 2013.
