Budget Reserve Report
Economic Analysis produces three reports per year required by Minnesota Statute, the Budget Reserve Report and two Revenue Forecast Uncertainty Reports. The Budget Reserve Report (below) is published in September and provides the target budget reserve level that would be adequate to manage the underlying risks in Minnesota’s revenue system. The Revenue Forecast Uncertainty Report is published two weeks after each forecast and provides the range in which we can expect revenues to fall at the close of the current biennium.
Latest Budget Reserve Report
October 30, 2025
Budget Reserve Recommendation.To adequately manage the underlying risks in Minnesota’s general fund tax revenue system, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) recommends a budget reserve target of 5.2 percent of the current biennium’s general fund non-dedicated revenues, or a $3.347 billion budget reserve for the 2026-27 biennium.
Additional Reading
Current Volatility Report
Minnesota statute requires Minnesota Management and Budget to “develop and annually review a methodology for evaluating the adequacy of the budget reserve based on the volatility of Minnesota’s general fund revenue structure. Volatility is the amount that a data series varies from its trend growth path. In this presentation, State Economist Laura Kalambokidis, provides an overview of the methodology used to calculate the recommended size of the budget reserve as a percentage of general fund net non-dedicated revenues. This information was presented to the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on January 24, 2019. Presentation Slides (pdf) | Report (pdf)
How Much is Enough? Prevailing Revenue Volatility & State Budget Reserve
Most state governments (including Minnesota) use rainy day funds to cushion against fiscal stress caused by changing economic conditions and tax policy preferences. This presentation summarizes MMB's empirical method for estimating an appropriate size rainy day fund for Minnesota based on prevailing cyclical volatility of the state's revenue system. It was made by MMB Economist Matt Schoeppner to the FTA Revenue Estimating Conference in Tampa, Florida on September 30, 2015.
Presentation Slides(pdf)
Minnesota's Revenue Volatility
Every state tax system has some inherent revenue volatility. Most states (including Minnesota) manage the associated risk with rainy day reserves. This presentation (1) presents data on revenue volatility, trend growth, and the share of total general fund revenues for each major source of Minnesota general fund revenue, (2) reviews the primary drivers of increased revenue volatility since the mid-1990s, and (3) discusses how analysis of Minnesota's revenue volatility informs MMB's budget reserve recommendations. It was made by State Economist Laura Kalambokidis to the the Minnesota House Taxes Committee on January 22, 2015.
Presentation Slides (pdf) Prepared Remarks (pdf)
Also visit: Forecasts & Updates Library