Household debt
Household debt refers to the total financial obligations that a household, which can consist of individuals or couples, owes. This encompasses various forms of debt, including mortgages, credit card balances, vehicle loans, and student loans. These debts can be classified as either revolving, like credit cards, where the amount due varies monthly based on usage, or fixed, such as car loans, with consistent payments throughout the loan term. As of late 2024, U.S. household debt reached approximately $17.94 trillion, largely driven by mortgage debt, which comprised about 70% of the total.
Several factors contribute to rising household debt, including stagnant wages, increasing costs of living, and the availability of credit. Economic downturns, such as the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated financial strains, leading many households to accumulate significant debts. While overall household borrowing relative to GDP has decreased since 2008, the challenges presented by student loans, vehicle loans, and credit cards persist, often trapping individuals in cycles of debt.
To manage and reduce household debt, individuals can adopt strategies such as creating budgets, cutting discretionary spending, and prioritizing debt repayment. Exploring alternative income sources and reducing fixed expenses, like housing and transportation, can also alleviate financial burdens. By being proactive and disciplined, individuals can work towards breaking free from debt and achieving financial stability.
Subject Terms
Household debt
Household debt is the total sum of debts, or monies owed, by a household, which includes either an individual or a married couple. It consists of consumer debts such as mortgages (or rent), credit cards, vehicle loans, student loans, and other debts (such as leases, personal loans, business loans, etc.). These accounts can be classified as revolving or fixed. Credit cards are an example of revolving credit lines. The total due changes every month according to factors such as the balance carried and interest applied to the account. These accounts do not have to be paid in full every month, but they do accumulate interest if they are not. Depending on the account's terms, the payment amount and interest rate can fluctuate. Fixed loans, such as a vehicle loan, usually do not change. They have the same payment and interest rate every month for the life of the loan. People should take care not to accumulate too much household debt to avoid damaging their credit score, which determines how much money they can borrow as needed. During the third quarter of 2024, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported the total American household debt reached $17.94 trillion, with mortgage debt accounting for about 70 percent of this number.
Determinants of Household Debt
Many factors are attributed to rising household debt such as an upsurge in unemployment rates, health care premiums, school tuition, prices of goods and services, and cost of living. In addition, income remained stagnant, while credit became more readily available and attainable. The global financial crisis, also called the Great Recession, in the late 2000s and early 2010s, expanded household debt for many people as they lost their homes, jobs, and savings. Since this time, many individuals have struggled to climb their way out of debt; however, a variety of factors kept many people owing large sums of money and spiraling further into debt.
The late 2024 American household debt figures set a new high for household debt in the country. The housing industry was mostly to blame for the financial crisis of the late 2000s; mortgage debt made up a high percentage of the total household debt in 2008. Even though mortgage debt accounted for more than 70 percent of the makeup of total debt for 2024, this figure accounted for a smaller share of the 2016 household debt than the 2008 figure. Household debt also surged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many found themselves laid off or without work for a period of time.
The 2016 total household debt was buoyed by student loans ($1.606 trillion), vehicle loans ($1.644 trillion), and credit card debts ($1.166 trillion). Despite the high household debt numbers, the total household borrowing decreased from 85 percent of the nominal gross domestic product in 2008 to 67 percent in 2016. While the total household debt was on the rise, debt delinquencies decreased. In 2008, 8.5 percent of total household debts were delinquent compared to 4.8 percent in 2016. Bankruptcy filings rose in 2024 to 16.2 percent.
The Great Recession helped to educate many people about home buying, but consumers remained vulnerable to other debts such as school and vehicle loans and credit cards. For example, the rising cost of college tuition has forced many people to take out tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in school loans, leaving many students heavily in debt after graduation. Some of these loans carry high interest rates, further adding debt. After college, many graduates need vehicles to attain employment, so they take out automobile loans. Next, they apply for credit cards to help them keep up with living costs such as food and rent. Soon, they find themselves in a cycle of debt they cannot repay. However, cycles of debt can be broken.
Debt Reduction
When people cannot pay their debt obligations, sometimes they are forced to default on them. Defaulting on loans can put people deeper in debt and get them into legal trouble. It can also ruin their credit rating, which affects their ability to borrow money or open credit lines in the future. It can also lead to bankruptcy.
Before it gets to this point, individuals can take steps to reduce their debt and learn how to manage their money properly. The first step is to stop borrowing money, which means stop opening and using credit cards and applying for loans. Next, start using only cash to pay for items. This helps people see how much money they are actually spending. Once their cash runs out, they cannot spend any additional money they do not have.
People should create a budget to help them track their spending. The budget should account for all money coming into and going out of a household. Many online resources, such as Quicken and Mint, offer tools to help set up budgets. Once individuals determine their expenses, they can look for ways to reduce spending to free up cash to pay off debts and start saving. This usually is accomplished by adjusting their lifestyle to reduce discretionary spending. For example, if a person spends a large sum of money going out to eat at restaurants multiple times a week, he or she can resolve to eat out only once per week.
However, some people may find that their income is too low to cover household expenses. In this case, they may need to acquire a second job or look for better-paying employment to generate more income to pay off debts more quickly. They can also look to reduce housing and transportation expenses by moving to a smaller, more affordable house or apartment, or trading in their vehicle for a cheaper one. Relying on public transportation instead of owning a car can save on expenses such as gasoline and insurance, freeing up even more money.
Once individuals begin to make a surplus of income, they should focus on paying down their debts. They can choose to pay off smaller debts first or ones with higher interest rates—the latter usually saves people more money over time, but it can be more rewarding to see smaller debts paid off first. This can also be accomplished by consolidating debts. Individuals should resolve to save some of their extra income. For example, they can set aside a fixed amount from each paycheck to save in an emergency fund that they can use for unexpected expenses if needed and not have to rely on credit cards.
People can recover from debt by practicing patience and diligence. It takes time to pay off debt, but it is rewarding to break the cycle.
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