Government Funding Runs Out December 11. How to Budget for a Shutdown
See your own safe-to-spend number Free paycheck budget, set up in 60 seconds →Federal funding runs out at the end of Friday, December 11, 2026. If Congress doesn't pass a bill by then, a shutdown starts Saturday the 12th, two weeks before the holidays. The last full shutdown, in 2025, lasted 43 days. That's two or three biweekly paydays. If your paycheck or your benefits come from federal money, plan for the gap now. The plan works the same at $45,000 or $200,000: find the bills that land in the gap and cover them first.
What the last three shutdowns did
Federal funding lapses since October 2025. The 2026 Homeland Security lapse is the longest on record.
| Lapse | Length | Who was hit |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 – Nov 12, 2025 | 43 days | Most of the government. Federal workers missed paychecks. When it ended, November SNAP benefits had been only partly paid or not paid at all in about two-thirds of states. |
| Jan 31 – Feb 3, 2026 | 4 days | About half of federal departments. Roughly 10,000 FAA workers were furloughed while air traffic controllers worked unpaid. |
| Feb 14 – Apr 30, 2026 | 76 days | Homeland Security only. TSA officers went without a full paycheck from March 13, and more than 1,100 quit. |
Who gets hit first
- Federal employees. They're furloughed or work without pay. After past shutdowns, including 2025's, they got back pay once the government reopened. It arrives after the shutdown, not on the payday you missed.
- Federal contractors. They usually aren't paid for days they couldn't work. A long lapse can mean pay that never comes back.
- SNAP and WIC households. Benefits can be delayed if a lapse runs into a new month, as November's were in 2025.
- Everyone else. Mostly delays: longer airport lines, slower federal services, paused programs.
What two or three missed paychecks cost, by salary
| Salary | One biweekly paycheck (before tax) | Two missed | Three missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| $45,000 | $1,731 | $3,462 | $5,192 |
| $85,000 | $3,269 | $6,538 | $9,808 |
| $150,000 | $5,769 | $11,538 | $17,308 |
| $200,000 | $7,692 | $15,385 | $23,077 |
A higher salary doesn't make the gap smaller. A $200,000 household with a $4,500 mortgage, two car payments and private school tuition can burn through savings as fast as anyone. Fixed costs grow with income, and a shutdown stops the income, not the fixed costs.
A shutdown budget, paycheck by paycheck
- List every bill due from December 12 to January 15. Rent or mortgage, car, cards, utilities, insurance, tuition. That list is the gap you need to cover.
- Cover the gap from savings first and cards last. If savings won't cover it, call lenders and your landlord before a payment is late. During past shutdowns, many banks and credit unions offered federal workers payment deferrals or low-rate loans.
- Pay minimums, not extra. Keep every minimum current and pause extra debt payments until pay resumes.
- Shrink the holiday budget now. A lapse on December 12 lands in the middle of holiday shopping. How to set a holiday budget.
- If you get SNAP or WIC, ask your state agency how a lapse would affect your issue date, and know where your nearest food bank is.
- When back pay lands, rebuild the cushion first. Refill savings before you catch up on anything else, because the next deadline is never far off.
Not a federal worker? A shutdown is a good drill anyway. If two missed paychecks would sink your budget, a layoff would too. How to budget for a layoff or recession. For what else the new split Congress could change, see what a split government means for your money.
Shutdown or not, know what's due before the next paycheck.
MyGood plans each paycheck, shows the bills due before the next one, and keeps savings set aside like a bill. Free, no bank login.
Try MyGood free → Carrying a balance? How to pay off high-interest card debt.This article is general education, not financial or legal advice.
Sources
- Ballotpedia News, Stopgap funding bill runs through December 11, September 25, 2026.
- Fortune, Wall Street is bracing for tariff hikes and a potential shutdown after the midterms (Deutsche Bank on the December 11 deadline), November 3, 2026.
- Holland & Knight, Beyond the Midterms: Congress Faces Converging Year-End Deadlines, October 2026.
- Wikipedia, 2026 United States federal government shutdowns (dates, FAA and TSA figures).
- States Newsroom, The shutdown tug-of-war over SNAP benefits: a timeline, November 12, 2025.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next government shutdown deadline?
Federal funding runs through Friday, December 11, 2026. If Congress does not pass a stopgap or full-year spending bills by then, a shutdown would start Saturday, December 12.
Do federal employees get back pay after a shutdown?
After past shutdowns, including the 43-day lapse in 2025, federal employees received back pay once the government reopened. It arrives after the shutdown ends, not on the missed payday. Federal contractors usually are not paid for days they could not work.
Will SNAP benefits stop during a shutdown?
They can be delayed if a lapse runs into a new month. When the 2025 shutdown ended, November SNAP benefits had been only partly paid or not paid in about two-thirds of states. Ask your state agency how a lapse would affect your issue date.
How much money should I save for a government shutdown?
Enough to pay the bills that fall between the deadline and a likely reopening. The 2025 shutdown lasted 43 days, which covers two or three biweekly paydays, so list every bill due from December 12 to mid-January and total it.
How do I budget if my paycheck stops?
Cover the bills due in the gap from savings first, call lenders before a payment is late, pay minimums only, and cut variable spending such as holiday gifts until pay resumes. MyGood is a free budgeting app that shows the bills due before each paycheck, without connecting your bank.