The USSGL Division’s role is to provide accounting guidance on established budget policy. Who do I contact when I have budget-related questions that are not USSGL specific in nature?
Contact the bureau budget office (if the entity is a bureau within the department).
Contact the department accounting and budget offices.
Contact the department budget office and ask them to contact the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) program examiner.
Note: Agency accountants should not contact the OMB program examiner or the BRD Budget Concepts Branch directly.
How does the USSGL
budgetary account series (4000's) work?
In order to understand how the budgetary accounts work, one must understand that the budgetary accounts follow the budget execution cycle through appropriations, apportionments, allotments, commitments, obligations, expenditures and outlays. The budget execution process is reflected on the SF 133: Report on Budget Execution and Budgetary Resources and is supported by OMB Circular No. A-11: Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget. The Budgetary Accounting Equation is as follows:
Budgetary Resources = Status of Budgetary Resources
Budgetary resources are normally debit balances that include USSGL account series 4100 and 4200. The status of budgetary resources is normally credit balances that include USSGL account series 4400, 4500, 4600, 4700, 4800, and 4900. For more information, visit the USSGL web site.
What is the FACTS II USSGL Attribute: "Year of Budget Authority"?
Year_of_Budget Authority is a U.S. Standard General Ledger (USSGL) attribute that distinguishes between outlays from new budget authority versus outlays from balances. It is used for no-year Treasury Appropriation Fund Symbol (TAFS). It is not used for annual or multi-year TAFS. It is also not used for no-year credit financing TAFS.
What is the difference in trust fund reporting requirements for expenditure versus nonexpenditure transfers?
As defined in the Analytical Perspectives of the Budget of the U.S. Government, Federal funds include general, special and revolving funds. Trust funds consist of funds that are designated by law as such. Any transfer that occurs between a trust fund and any Federal fund is to be classified as an expenditure transfer. Therefore, the entity transferring out is to record an outlay, and the entity transferring in is to record a receipt or collection.
As described in TFM Vol. I Part 2 - Chapter 2000, all transfers between trust funds are to be classified as nonexpenditure. Therefore, a transfer of budget authority is recorded when the transfer occurs.
Should capital lease liabilities be funded up front?
If a government agency has a capital lease agreement with a non-Federal entity, OMB Circular No. A-11: Preparation, Submission and Execution of the Budget requires that the net present value of the capital lease liability be funded up front. For further information, see OMB Circular No. A-11, Appendix B, and the "Capital and Operating Leases" case study on the USSGL Approved Scenarios web page.
What types of employee benefit expenses should be reported in USSGL account 6400 Benefit Expense?
The title of USSGL account 6400 may seem like all benefits should be included, but it is intended to include very specific types of benefits. The original intention of USSGL account 6400 was to allow program agencies to report their contribution of employee benefit expenses, such as pension, health, life, and FECA, so that a reconciliation with the administering agencies' benefit revenue would be possible. The definition of USSGL account 6400 was then further expanded to include unemployment, Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, Social Security, Medicare, and entitlement benefit programs specifically identified in USSGL account 2160 Entitlement Benefits Due and Payable.
The final definition of USSGL account 6400 was divided into two parts: one for program agencies using 6400 "G" to report their activities, and the other for administering agencies using 6400 "N" to report their activities. Although relocation costs, transportation costs, education costs, etc. may be classified as employee benefits, they should not be reported in USSGL account 6400, but should instead be reported in USSGL account 6100 Operating Expenses/Program Costs.
Miscellaneous Common Questions
Why are there always changes or updates to the USSGL?
The USSGL is the core of financial reporting. It provides detailed information through general ledger accounts and transactions that ultimately provide information to readers of financial statements. Any changes or updates as a result of legislative enactment affect the USSGL. In order to comply with Governmental guidance set forth by bodies such as the Department of Treasury, Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and new systems requirements (i.e. Federal Agencies' Centralized Trial-Balance System - FACTS II), USSGL accounts and transactions are established to reflect new reporting requirements. Visit the USSGL web site for detailed guidance.
Where can I find current information concerning updates and changes to the USSGL?
Visit the USSGL web site to obtain current
information on USSGL Treasury Financial Manual (TFM)
releases, interim updates, approved scenarios, trust fund guidance,
credit reform guidance, as well as other pertinent information. You can also subscribe to the email notification service in order to
receive email notifications when substantive changes
occur.
