WASHINGTON — The federal government ran a $106.9 billion budget surplus in April, the Treasury reported Monday.
The surplus followed a $36.9 billion deficit in March. The April surplus was smaller than the median $114 billion surplus predicted by economists polled by Thompson Reuters.
Outlays in April totaled $307.4 billion, compared to $252.7 billion in March. Receipts totaled $414.2 billion in April, compared to $215.8 billion for the previous month.
Fiscal year to date, there was a $306.4 billion deficit, compared to a $488 billion deficit for the same period last year. The federal government's 2014 fiscal year began Oct. 1.
In April 2013, the government ran a $112.9 billion surplus. A Treasury official said that 46 of the last 60 Aprils had surpluses, primarily because April is a major month for collecting taxes.
Year-over-year changes to April and to fiscal year-to-date results were impacted by timing-related transactions, Treasury said. Taking into account calendar adjustments, April 2014 would have had a $109 billion surplus, which is $4 billion less than the adjusted surplus in April 2013. The adjusted fiscal year to date deficit through April 2014 is $304 billion, compared to an adjusted $488 billion fiscal year to date deficit through April 2013.
