Money for Kids

Ten percent of the federal budget is devoted to the nation's children, including programs such as Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, Social Security dependent benefits, and federal spending on education. During the next decade, the Urban Institute projects that the share of the budget devoted to children will drop to 8 percent. Here's how federal spending breaks down in 2011...

41% for elderly and other adult portions of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
20% for defense
10% for children
6% for interest payments on debt
23% for all other government programs

Source: Urban Institute, Kids' Share 2012: Report on Federal Expenditures on Children through 2011