A budget surplus occurs when tax revenue is greater than government spending. Therefore, the government can use the surplus revenue to pay off the national debt.
Budget surpluses are quite rare in modern economies because of the temptation for politicians to spend more money and cut taxes.
A budget surplus is appropriate when the economy is in the growth phase of the economic cycle. In a recession, demand is depressed, and it is expected to have a budget deficit. Trying to attain a budget surplus in a recession will involve higher taxes and lower spending – but these policies could make the recession worse. Therefore, it is better to wait until the economy recovers, and automatic fiscal stabilizers improve (higher growth automatically leads to higher income tax revenues)
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The term "budget surplus" is most commonly used to refer to the financial situations of governments; individuals speak of "savings" rather than a "budget surplus." A surplus is considered a sign that government is being run efficiently. A budget surplus might be used to pay off debt, save for the future, or to make a desired purchase that has been delayed. A city government that had a surplus might use the money to make improvements to a run-down park, for example.
When spending exceeds income, the result is a budget deficit, which must be financed by borrowing money and paying interest on the borrowed funds, much like an individual spending more than he can afford and carrying a balance on a credit card. A balanced budget occurs when spending equals income. The U.S. government has only had a budget surplus in a few years since 1950. The Clinton administration (1993-2001) famously cured a large budget deficit and created a surplus in the late