United States Department of the Treasury

United States Department of the Treasury

Treasury Building
Agency overview
FormedSeptember 2, 1789 (1789-09-02)
Preceding agency
  • Board of Treasury
TypeExecutive department
JurisdictionU.S. federal government
HeadquartersTreasury Building
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C., U.S
38°53′51″N 77°02′04″W / 38.8975°N 77.0344°W / 38.8975; -77.0344
Employees87,336 (2019)
Annual budget$20.2 billion (2024)
Agency executives
Child agencies
Websitetreasury.gov

The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States. It is one of 15 current U.S. government departments. The treasury executes currency circulation in the domestic fiscal system, collects all federal taxes through the Internal Revenue Service, manages U.S. government debt, licenses and supervises banks and thrift institutions, and advises the legislative and executive branches on fiscal policy.

The department is administered by the secretary of the treasury, who is a member of the Cabinet. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the U.S. Mint, two federal agencies responsible for printing all paper currency and minting coins. The treasurer of the United States has limited statutory duties, but advises the Secretary on various matters such as coinage and currency production. Both the treasurer and treasury secretary's signatures appear on all U.S. dollar bank notes.

The department was established by an act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue. The first secretary of the treasury was Alexander Hamilton from New York, a Founding Father. Appointed by George Washington, the nation's first president, Hamilton was sworn into office on September 11, 1789. Hamilton established the nation's early financial system and for several years was a major presence in Washington's administration. The department is customarily referred to as "Treasury", solely, without any preceding article – a transitional remnant from British to American English.