Almost exactly two years ago, I started tracking how much TARP money (the infamous Troubled Asset Relief Program) had been repaid to the U.S. Treasury from the various businesses that were bailed out by the U.S. government at the beginning of the Great Recession. In a blog post on this website two years ago, only a fraction, .05%, had been repaid.

So what’s happened to TARP and repayment in the past two years? Actually, the news is good. First, $700 billion was approved in TARP bailout funds and not nearly that much was actually used. Only about $475 billion was actually allocated and 75% of that money has been either repaid, offset with profits, or canceled, according to the Wall Street Journal and reported by the Treasury Department.

The Department of the Treasury estimates that the overall cost of the TARP bailout program will be about $50 billion after all is said and done.

As I dig around for the latest facts and figures, I will share them with you!