Consumer News How Close Is The U S To A Debt Crisis

The Invisible Economic Crisis

There is no collapse. No Lehman Brothers moment. Instead it’s a slow burn, a financial treadmill that many are never able to get off. Across the country, households are juggling a web of obligations: ... Read More

America’s path out of $38 trillion national debt crisis likely involves pushing up inflation and ‘eroding Fed independence,’ says JPMorgan Private Bank

The government could "tolerate stronger growth and higher inflation, allowing real interest rates to fall and the debt burden to shrink over time," JPMB says. Read More

Consumer spending is the U.S. economy's main driver. Here's how it's doing

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks to Bankrate analyst Ted Rossman about consumer spending and debt, and what it tells us about the overall health of the economy. Read More

The Phantom Debt Trap: How $1.2 Trillion in Hidden Consumer Debt Triggered Thursday's Market Crash

Margin debt, the money investors borrow to buy stocks, reached $1.18 trillion in October 2025, up $58 billion in a single month. Since April, margin debt has risen 39%, the fastest five-month increase ... Read More

US Debt Of $38 Trillion Now A 'National Security Crisis,' Warns Top Economist, Another Blames Political Polarization: 'Neither Party Is…'

Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, and other economists have sounded the alarm about the U.S. national debt, stating that it poses a significant threat to the country’s ... Read More

'It's really a political problem': Ray Dalio on the U.S. debt crisis

The U.S. debt has reached $37 trillion. NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with billionaire and hedge fund manager Ray Dalio about the ramifications of the debt crisis. Read More

Auto loan delinquencies rival pre-crisis levels, Consumer Federation warns

U.S. auto loan delinquencies are climbing above pre-pandemic rates and nearing 2008 crisis levels. Consumers now carry $1.66 trillion in auto debt as repossessions accelerate. Consumer Federation of ... Read More

Americans in ‘Crisis Mode’ as Consumer Stress Hits Five-Year High

Labor market weakness, inflation and growing debt challenges are taking their toll on consumers’ financial health and pushing them to seek legal advice at near-historic rates, according to a new ... Read More

Cash Could Be King In 2026 As Risks Of A Debt Crisis Grow

Cash is an underappreciated asset, especially as high valuations, margin debt, and consumer debt signal a potential market top. Read why SPY is a Strong Sell. Read More

'It's really a political problem': Ray Dalio on the U.S. debt crisis

Ray Dalio has been prominent in the business world for decades. Now he's reached the stage where he says it's time to give advice. RAY DALIO: I'm in the transition phase of life. I'm in the mentoring ... Read More