Holding the debt where it is takes $9.5 trillion over ten years
Source. Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, “$10 Trillion to Get to 3% and Other Fiscal Goals” (February 20, 2026), on CBO’s February 2026 baseline. Fiscal years 2027–2036.
Method and data
Method. Total ten-year savings needed by 2036 to reach each goal, including interest savings, as CRFB published them, rounded by CRFB to the nearest $500 billion; the analysis predates the Supreme Court’s February 20, 2026 tariff ruling. For the 3% goal CRFB puts about $8.5 trillion in spending cuts or revenue increases, the rest interest savings: $10.0 trillion − $8.5 trillion = $1.5 trillion.
| Goal | Ten-year savings ($ trillions) |
|---|---|
| Balance the budget | 18.5 |
| Deficit of 2% of GDP | 13.0 |
| Deficit of 3% of GDP | 10.0 |
| Hold debt at 100% of GDP | 9.5 |
| Primary balance (no deficit before interest) | 7.0 |
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Higgins Strategy. “Holding the debt where it is takes $9.5 trillion over ten years” Exhibit 8, The Interest Bill (Study XII). October 12, 2026. https://higginsstrategy.com/charts/12-06-crfb-what-it-takes/