Wednesday, April 05, 2017

Two charts about US consumer debt that make me worried. - very worried

For a long time I have been writing about my concerns about the rocketing value of student debt (in the US). This is debt that cannot be magicked-away by bankruptcy. It is debt that will fester away until it is either repaid by borrower or the state decides it cannot be retrieved. With about 50% of graduates not doing graduate jobs and hence not getting graduate salaries you have to wonder if much of this debt will ever be repaid.



The other chart needs no explanation. The 60+ are taking on more debt than ever and, like student debt, you have to wonder how much of it will be repaid. I appreciate that some of the student debt will be the responsibility of the 60+ but much of it must be in the other asset classes. I suspect a lot of it is still paying for the older person's prime property.

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