Financial Transparency Score 2025

JULY 8, 2025

In the spirit of promoting clear and accurate fiscal information, Truth in Accounting has once again assessed the transparency of state governments’ financial reporting. While state budgets receive most of the public and media’s attention, their outcomes are detailed in each government's Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), which is audited annually by certified public accountants. Our transparency score is based on key criteria outlining best practices, offering government officials and citizens a roadmap to enhance fiscal transparency and accountability.

Financial State of the States 2024

OCTOBER 3, 2024

Our fifteenth annual Financial State of the States (FSOS) report provides a comprehensive analysis of the fiscal health of all 50 states.

Financial Transparency Score 2024

APRIL 23, 2024

Truth in Accounting has once again created a transparency score for the financial reporting by state governments to encourage the publication of transparent and accurate government financial information.

Hot off the Press! The State Report is Out: How Did Your State Do???

DECEMBER 10, 2023

Now Available

Our annual report on state fiscal health. Debt among the states improved slightly. Going from $1.2 trillion down to $938.6 billion. 

What happened? 

How did your state do? Read the full report below. 

https://www.truthinaccounting.org/news/detail/financial-state-of-the-states-2023

Accounting is a methodology for measuring value. It's the process of identifying, measuring, and communicating economic information to enable well-informed assessments and choices for those who rely on the informationgood accounting matters!  

 

Financial State of the States 2022

OCTOBER 24, 2022

This year's report found that 31 states did not have enough money to pay all of their bills.

New study measures financial transparency among state governments

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

PRESS RELEASE

Financial Transparency Score 2021

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

To encourage the publication of transparent and accurate government financial information, Truth in Accounting has created a transparency score for financial reporting by the states. 

Majority of state finances worsened during beginning of pandemic

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Financial State of the States 2021

SEPTEMBER 28, 2021

Truth in Accounting's twelfth annual Financial State of the States report, a nationwide analysis of the most recent state government financial information.

States, cities, and the gigantic Covid bailout

DECEMBER 16, 2020 | THE WALL STREET JOURNAL | by Robert Parker

William A. Galston tugs on heartstrings to make the case that “States and Cities Deserve Taxpayer Support” (Politics & Ideas, Dec. 9). 

Nevada, other Democrat-run states, waiting for a federal bailout

NOVEMBER 20, 2020 | LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL | by Bob Valentine

Regarding your Saturday editorial “Where’s the money?”: You note that budget gimmicks won’t work this time. But it depends on which ones you consider.

Thirty-nine states ill-prepared for coronavirus pandemic

SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

The 2020 Financial State of the States report surveys the fiscal health of the 50 states prior to the coronavirus pandemic. This data is released today by Truth in Accounting (TIA), a think tank that analyzes government financial reporting.

State general revenue shortfall projections

JUNE 1, 2020 | by Bill Bergman, Sheila Weinberg

How large could the shortfall in state government general revenues be, amidst the coronavirus and related crises? 

Two of the senators pushing PERS secrecy bill receive six-figure public pensions

MARCH 1, 2019 | LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL | by Victor Joecks

When you sign the checks, you have the right to see to whom they’re made out.

Time for Nevada public pension system to produce the data

JANUARY 3, 2019 | LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL | by Editorial

“It appears that Nevada pension officials have exhausted all judicial avenues in their cynical effort to conceal information from taxpayers about the retirement benefits they fund for public employees. But given their well-established preference for ignoring the law, such an assessment may prove premature.”

Nevada high court rules for public access to retirement records

OCTOBER 23, 2018 | LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL | by Natalie Bruzda

The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 4-3 on the side of the public’s right to know the retirement benefits of state employees in a high-profile public records case that began three years ago.

Financing the new water infrastructure

MAY 30, 2018 | NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES | by Cynthia Koehler

When it comes to addressing the nation’s water infrastructure crisis, cities and towns are ground zero.

Where does the state of Nevada get its money?

APRIL 6, 2018 | ELKO DAILY FREE PRESS | by Ron Knecht, James Smack

This is our third column presenting the findings of the Nevada Controller’s Annual Report for fiscal year 2017.

Nevada receives a ā€˜C’ in Truth in Accounting report

MARCH 2, 2018 | NEVADA WATCHDOG | by Bethany Blankley

Nevada received a “C” grade in a recently released report produced by Truth in Accounting, a nonpartisan nonprofit group that analyzes government financial data across the country.

People flocking to low-tax states could swing future elections

JANUARY 24, 2018 | THE HILL | by Jonathan Williams

Just a month ago, as friends and families prepared to gather for the holiday season, the men and women at the U.S. Census Bureau were busy releasing their latest annual estimates of population changes across the United States.

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