"The government has sold the remainder of its 31.1M shares in GM ( GM) for $9.2B, which will end restrictions on executive pay and could pave the way for dividends and buybacks. The government recovered $39B out of the $49.5B it invested in the automaker, ending the bailout of GM with a loss of $10.5B."

In 2011, Treasury closed the books on its $12.5-billion bailout of Chrysler and took about a $1.3-billion loss.

Last month, Treasury reduced its GM stake to 2.2% and said it planned to sell the rest of the stock by year's end. Over the last few weeks, Treasury sold the approximately 30 million shares it had left, with the final sale coming Monday.

Although the GM and Chrysler bailouts ended with a loss for taxpayers, Treasury officials said the goal never was to turn a profit. The rescues prevented further damage to the economy and the potential loss of 1 million jobs, Lew said.

Earlier Monday, the Center for Automotive Research, a Michigan think tank, estimated the goverment would lose $13.7 billion on the GM and Chrysler bailouts. But the center said the rescues provided a net economic gain for the country and saved about 2.6 million jobs.