The US Debt Is Near $1,000,000 Per American: Where the Money Went and Why It Matters to You

J. Arky   Sat, June 22, 2024  GoBankingRates

America has a problem: We, as a country, are in a massive money hole. It’s one of many issues the nation is currently facing and attempting to figure out a solution forward. While many nations frequently struggle to maintain balance in a financial standing with lenders and other countries, the United States is facing a staggering number of $1,000,000 worth of debt per citizen.

In March 2024, CNBC reported that America’s national debt “…permanently crossed over to $34 trillion on Jan. 4, after briefly crossing the mark on Dec. 29, according to data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It reached $33 trillion on Sept. 15, 2023, and $32 trillion on June 15, 2023, hitting this accelerated pace. Before that, the $1 trillion move higher from $31 trillion took about eight months. U.S. debt, which is the amount of money the federal government borrows to cover operating expenses, now stands at nearly $34.4 trillion.”

That is a lot of money and there are not a lot of clear answers as to how to pay it off. Even in an advanced country, which is often seen as the richest and most powerful nation in the world, the path to wiping the slate clean and going back to zero remains murky at best. So where did all this debt come from and how is it going to impact you as a citizen of the United States? GOBankingRates checked in with a few economists to find out.

How Did We Get Here?

“The U.S. national debt reaching nearly $1,000,000 per American can be a startling figure, but it is essential to break down where this debt comes from and its implications,” said Dennis Shirshikov, a finance professor at the City University of New York.

Shirshikov defined the national debt as the total amount of money that the U.S. federal government owes to creditors, which range from financial institutions, private investors and other lenders across international lines.

“It comprises both public debt, owed to foreign and domestic investors, and intragovernmental holdings, such as Social Security and Medicare trust funds,” Shirshikov explained. “The debt has accumulated over decades due to persistent budget deficits, where government expenditures surpass revenues.”

The rise of high-interest consumer credit options played a huge role for the current balance facing Americans, according to Michael Schmied, senior financial analyst at Kredite Schweiz, who specifically highlighted the role of credit cards, personal loans and those tempting buy-now-pay-later offers as contributors to the nation’s debt.

“They make borrowing money way too easy — and often come with sky-high interest rates,” Schmied said. “This combo has led folks to rack up debt faster than they can pay it off, pushing the average debt per person up to almost $1 million.”

Where Did All This Money Go?

To Read More:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/us-debt-near-1-000-190024462.html