Which person has the most debt?
Jerome Kerviel, The Most Indebted Person In The World, Owes $6.3 Billion To Former Employer,
He doesn't always lose money. But when he does, he loses more than $6 billion. He is ... the most indebted man in the world. Jérôme Kerviel is learning one of life's harsher lessons: It stinks to be $6.3 billion in debt.
Well, I feel you should meet Jérôme Kerviel, or at least learn about him - the most indebted person in the world!
Around 23% of Americans are debt free, according to the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve. That figure factors in every type of debt, from credit card balances and student loans to mortgages, car loans and more. The exact definition of debt free can vary, though, depending on whom you ask.
Men carried more debt than women overall, including in every category except student loans.
Dave Ramsey is the founder and CEO of the company Ramsey Solutions, where he's helped people take control of their money and their lives since 1992. He's also an eight-time national bestselling author, personal finance expert and host of The Ramsey Show.
1) Switzerland. It is no surprise to see Switzerland on this list. Switzerland is a country that, in practically all economic and social metrics, is an example to follow. With a population of almost 9 million people, Switzerland has no natural resources of its own, no access to the sea, and virtually no public debt.
Brunei: Brunei is a small, wealthy country located on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is known for its abundant oil and gas reserves, which provide significant revenue to the government. Brunei has no external debt due to its substantial income from oil and gas exports.
How Many Americans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck? A 2023 survey conducted by Payroll.org highlighted that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, a 6% increase from the previous year. In other words, more than three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after paying for their monthly expenses.
$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt.
Is 100k in credit card debt a lot?
And, that debt may feel insurmountable. $100,000 or more in credit card debt may even sound too big for bankruptcy. Robert Reese, an attorney with the Bond & Botes office in Birmingham, Alabama says that he regularly consults with consumers who have credit card balances far in excess of $10,000.00.
Approximately three-quarters of Black- and White-headed families have debt, but the median debt-to-asset ratio is 50% higher among Black than White families (Copeland, 2020), with Black borrowers less likely to fully repay loans (Brevoort et al., 2021).
Unsecured debt, such as credit card debt, is more common in Black and Hispanic households. At the same time, Black and Hispanic households have a higher share of credit card and medical debt compared with the country overall.
70% of the Nation's Poor are Women & Children
Women in America are still 35 percent more likely than men to be poor in America, with single mothers facing the highest risk. Currently, 35 percent of single women with children live and raise their families in poverty.
The majority of a millionaire's net worth usually includes money invested in retirement accounts or real estate (like a paid-for home). Not only that, but they also tend to stay far, far away from debt (73% of millionaires never carried a credit card balance in their entire lives).
Wealthy people aren't afraid of borrowing. But they typically don't borrow money to live beyond their means or because they failed to save for emergencies or make a plan to cover expenses. Instead, rich people tend to use debt as a tool to help them build more wealth.
Many people believe that much of the U.S. national debt is owed to foreign countries like China and Japan, but the truth is that most of it is owed to Social Security and pension funds right here in the U.S. This means that U.S. citizens own most of the national debt.
Years of elevated budget deficits, exacerbated by massive federal spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, have taken the debt to historic levels: totaling more than $26 trillion in 2023, U.S. federal government debt is now at its highest percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) since World War II.
China owes the United States $1.3 trillion, which is the most debt out of all the countries that are its debtors. Japan was the primary debt holder until 2008, but now comes in second place, with $1.2 trillion. Other countries with outstanding U.S. debt include Russia, India and South Korea.
Public debt in Russia averaged 15.4% of GDP in the decade to 2022, below the average of 32.5% of GDP for Eastern Europe. Public debt in Russia was 18.9% of GDP in 2022. For more public debt information, visit our dedicated page.
What happens if the US defaults?
The dollar is a global reserve currency and U.S. bonds are seen as one of the most stable investments on the planet. So if the U.S. cannot pay its creditors, interest rates on U.S. debt would go up, creating a cascade of higher interest rates. So mortgage rates, credit card rates, car loan rates.
Research from financial services company Northwestern Mutual found that excluding mortgages, the average personal debt per individual sat at $21,800 in 2023, significantly lower than the $29,800 recorded in 2019.
Key takeaways. Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.
Ideally, financial experts like to see a DTI of no more than 15 to 20 percent of your net income.
The average debt an American owes is $104,215 across mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, auto loans, credit card debt, student loan debt, and other debts like personal loans. Data from Experian breaks down the average debt a consumer holds based on type, age, credit score, and state.
