Delaware

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Delaware owes more than it owns.
Delaware has a -$15,700 Taxpayer Burden.™
Delaware is a Sinkhole State without enough assets to cover its debt.
Elected officials have created a Taxpayer Burden™, which is each taxpayer's share of state bills after its available assets have been tapped.
TIA's Taxpayer Burden™ measurement incorporates both assets and liabilities, not just pension debt.
Delaware only has $8.1 billion of assets available to pay bills totaling $14.1 billion.
Because Delaware doesn't have enough money to pay its bills, it has a -$6 billion financial hole. To fill it, each Delaware taxpayer would have to send -$15,700 to the state.
Delaware's reported net position is understated by $39.4 million, largely because the state delays recognizing gains resulting from decreases in retirement liabilities.
The state's financial report was released 176 days after its fiscal year end, which is considered timely according to the 180 day standard.

IN THE NEWS
Delaware Audit Finds Missing Documentation, Late Reviews, and Ongoing Weaknesses in Federal Program Oversight

AUGUST 6, 2026

Delaware’s 2025 Single Audit identified recurring problems across multiple state agencies, including weaknesses in financial reporting, payroll oversight, proper documentation, and federal reporting. While the report does not conclude that fraud occurred, it does show how missing records, late reviews, unsupported reports, and inconsistent internal controls can make it harder for the state to prove that taxpayer and federal dollars were managed properly.

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