Seal of the United States Department of the Treasury

Mission

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s mission is to maintain a strong economy and create economic and job opportunities by promoting the conditions that enable economic growth and stability at home and abroad, strengthen national security by combating threats and protecting the integrity of the financial system, and manage the U.S. Government’s finances and resources effectively.

Treasury’s mission highlights its role as the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, and as an influential participant in the world economy.

The Treasury Department is the executive agency responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States. The Department is responsible for a wide range of activities such as advising the President on economic and financial issues, encouraging sustainable economic growth, and fostering improved governance in financial institutions. The Department of the Treasury operates and maintains systems that are critical to the nation’s financial infrastructure, such as the production of coin and currency, the disbursement of payments to the American public, revenue collection, and the borrowing of funds necessary to run the federal government. The Department works with other federal agencies, foreign governments, and international financial institutions to encourage global economic growth, raise standards of living, and to the extent possible, predict and prevent economic and financial crises. The Treasury Department also performs a critical and far-reaching role in enhancing national security by implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the U.S., identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats, and improving the  safeguards of our financial systems.

History

The Treasury Department and the Treasury building have a rich history. From the 1789 Act of Congress that established the department to the construction of its first Washington building, this section will give you a valuable insight into Treasury’s development and history.

TREASURY CURATOR

The Office of the Curator at the U.S. Department of the Treasury guides the preservation of the historic buildings of the Department as it’s Federal Preservation Officer, cares for the cultural resources, and provides museum quality collection management of the fine and decorative arts, and antique furniture of the Treasury Building adjacent to the White House.

HISTORY OF THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT

Learn about the history of the Treasury Department, its organizational growth, the development of our functions, and stories of the Treasury bureaus.  (PDF version of history brochure)

THE TREASURY BUILDING

Learn more about the historic Treasury Building located in Washington D.C. and get information on registering for tours.

SECRETARIES OF THE TREASURY

Get to know the experience and accomplishments of the people who have led the Treasury Department through the years.

TREASURERS OF THE UNITED STATES

A list of the Treasurers from 1775 and the Presidents they have served since 1789.

COLLECTION

The Treasury Collection is composed of paintings, prints, photographs, furniture, decorative arts, sculpture, and architectural fragments. View samples, learn their history, and much more.

FREEDMAN’S BANK

Learn about the Freedman’s Bank which originally stood where the Treasury Annex was erected.

ORGANIZATION

The Department of the Treasury is organized into two major components the Departmental offices and the operating bureaus. The Departmental Offices are primarily responsible for the formulation of policy and management of the Department as a whole, while the operating bureaus carry out the specific operations assigned to the Department. Our bureaus make up 98% of the Treasury work force. The basic functions of the Department of the Treasury include:

  • Managing Federal finances;
  • Collecting taxes, duties and monies paid to and due to the U.S. and paying all bills of the U.S.;
  • Currency and coinage;
  • Managing Government accounts and the public debt;
  • Supervising national banks and thrift institutions;
  • Advising on domestic and international financial, monetary, economic, trade and tax policy;
  • Enforcing Federal finance and tax laws;
  • Investigating and prosecuting tax evaders, counterfeiters, and forgers.

MORE INFORMATION

Orders and Directives

The Treasury Orders and Directives System contains the Department’s primary management documents. These documents establish policy and assign responsibilities to Secretarial Officers.

The Treasury Orders and Directives contained on this website do not show the signatures of the Secretarial Officers.

The Treasury Orders and Directives contained on this website show Administrative Edits, to reflect (misspelled words, reorganizing or technical changes, (updates of legal citations, new editions of forms, links to selected web sites, etc.).

SEARCH ORDERS AND DIRECTIVES

TREASURY ORDERS

Treasury Orders are documents signed by the Secretary or Deputy Secretary that:

  • delegate authority residing in the Secretary or Deputy Secretary to senior Treasury officials;
  • define the organization of the Department and the reporting relationships among the most senior officials; and
  • establish Treasury policy

NUMERICAL LISTING SUBJECT LISTING

TREASURY DIRECTIVES

Treasury Directives are documents signed by the appropriate senior Treasury officials that:

  • may further delegate authority from the most senior officials to other Treasury officials; and
  • provide processes for implementing legal obligations and Departmental policy objectives

NUMERICAL LISTING SUBJECT LISTING

​For more information, please contact TreasuryOrdersandDirectives@treasury.gov. ​

Bureaus

The Treasury Bureaus make up 98% of the Treasury work force and are responsible for carrying out specific operations assigned to the Department.

THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU (TTB)

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is responsible for enforcing and administering laws covering the production, use, and distribution of alcohol and tobacco products. TTB also collects excise taxes for firearms and ammunition.

THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING & PRINTING (BEP)

The Bureau of Engraving & Printing (BEP) designs and manufactures U.S. currency, securities, and other official certificates and awards.

THE BUREAU OF THE FISCAL SERVICE

The Bureau of the Fiscal Service was formed from the consolidation of the Financial Management Service and the Bureau of the Public Debt. Its mission is to promote the financial integrity and operational efficiency of the U.S. government through exceptional accounting, financing, collections, payments, and shared services.

THE FINANCIAL CRIMES ENFORCEMENT NETWORK (FINCEN)

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) supports law enforcement investigative efforts and fosters interagency and global cooperation against domestic and international financial crimes. It also provides U.S. policy makers with strategic analyses of domestic and worldwide trends and patterns.

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

The Inspector General conducts independent audits, investigations and reviews to help the Treasury Department accomplish its mission; improve its programs and operations; promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness; and prevent and detect fraud and abuse.

THE TREASURY INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR TAX ADMINISTRATION (TIGTA)

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) provides leadership and coordination and recommends policy for activities designed to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of the internal revenue laws. TIGTA also recommends policies to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in the programs and operations of the IRS and related entities.

THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS)

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the largest of Treasury’s bureaus. It is responsible for determining, assessing, and collecting internal revenue in the United States.

THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY (OCC)

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) charters, regulates, and supervises national banks to ensure a safe, sound, and competitive banking system that supports the citizens, communities, and economy of the United States.

THE U.S. MINT

The U.S. Mint designs and manufactures domestic, bullion and foreign coins as well as commemorative medals and other numismatic items. The Mint also distributes U.S. coins to the Federal Reserve banks as well as maintains physical custody and protection of our nation’s silver and gold assets.

Effective in 2003, the Bureaus of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)U.S. Customs, and the United States Secret Service (USSS) are no longer Bureaus of the Department of the Treasury. On July 21, 2011, the Office of Thrift Supervision became part of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency; visit OCC Community Reinvestment Act for current information.