The deputy secretary of the treasury of the United States advises and assists the Secretary of the Treasury in the supervision and direction of the Department of the Treasury and its activities, and succeeds the Secretary in the secretary's absence, sickness, or unavailability. The Deputy Secretary plays a primary role in the formulation and execution of Treasury policies and programs in all aspects of the Department's activities. In addition, the Deputy Secretary is the only official other than the secretary who can sign a Treasury order, which is a document that delegates authority residing in the secretary or Deputy Secretary to another Treasury official, establishes Treasury policy, and establishes the reporting relationships and supervision of officials. Former deputy secretaries include Roger Altman, Lawrence Summers, Stuart E. Eizenstat, Kenneth W. Dam, and Samuel Bodman.

The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters pertaining to economic and fiscal policy. The secretary is, by custom, a member of the president's cabinet and, by law, a member of the National Security Council.