The US government doubled its budget deficit from the same period last year

AP

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government posted a $108 billion budget deficit in March, more than double the amount from the same period last year, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday.

The government had a deficit of $53 billion in March of 2015, according to the Treasury's monthly budget statement. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a $104 billion deficit for last month.

Accounting for calendar adjustments, March would have shown a $102 billion deficit compared with an adjusted $89 billion deficit in March 2015.

The current fiscal year-to-date deficit was $461 billion, up 5 percent from a $439 billion deficit this time last year.

Receipts last month totaled $228 billion, while outlays stood at $336 billion.

NOW WATCH: EX-UNDERCOVER DEA AGENT: What I did when drug dealers asked me to try the product