Money & budgets
fiscal year
The federal budget year: October 1 through September 30, numbered by the year it ends. FY2027 begins October 1, 2026.
In full
Federal money is appropriated by fiscal year, which has run October to September since 1976 (Congress moved it from July hoping for more time to finish appropriations; the extra months did not help). Deadlines, shutdown fights, and agency spending patterns all follow this calendar, including the use-it-or-lose-it rush each September.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.