by Calculated Risk on 1/13/2014 03:36:00 PM

From the WSJ: U.S. Posts December Budget Surplus of $53.22 Billion

Revenues outpaced spending by $53.22 billion in December, the first surplus for the month since the 2007 fiscal year and the biggest on record. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had forecast a $44.5 billion surplus.
...
The U.S. government's deficit for October through December totaled $173.60 billion, down 41% from the $293.30 billion shortfall during the same period a year earlier, the Treasury Department said Monday in its monthly report. The 2014 fiscal year started on Oct. 1.

Here is the Monthly Treasury Statement for December.

In December 2012 the deficit was $1.2 billion. Taxes were raised in January 2013, so the comparison next month will show how much of the improvement is related to taxes - and how much due to an improving economy. The deficit has declined very quickly over the last few years - and is no longer a short term issue.