On October 1st, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT, the U.S federal government shut down after Congress failed to approve a funding bill.
Key Facts
Following the government shutdown, several federal services (Housing and Mortgage loan processing, Food Assistance programs, Small Business Administration loan processing, and more) stopped running in many places across the nation. An estimated number of 750,000 federal workers were furloughed, with other workers having to work without pay. Following this, agencies also stopped publishing key data like inflation and job statistics.
Recent Developments
The United States Treasury Department estimates the shutdown to cost the economy up to $15 billion U.S dollars per week. For some hope, in San Francisco, federal judge Susan Illston temporarily blocked the administration from firing over 4,100 federal workers. For a turn of the worse, however, the administration has threatened to remove back pay for furloughed workers. Additionally, a cause for concern is that the CDC reversed hundreds of firing notices for some staff.
How This Affects You
From now until the shutdown is resolved, you may see delays in permits, visas, benefits, or federal programs. Especially if you work for the federal government, your paycheck might be delayed or cut. Additionally, if you rely on agencies for data or services, there will be many interruptions. Lastly, markets are volatile; investments may be risky.