The Real Cost of 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Apps
Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm promise 'interest-free' payments. But the hidden costs are trapping a generation in a new kind of debt spiral.
987 articles found for "debt"
America's Credit Card Bill Hits $1.2 Trillion but the Delinquency Wave May Have Finally Crested
Total US credit card balances reached a record $1.23 trillion in late 2025, but the 30-day delinquency rate has now declined for five consecutive quarters, signaling that the worst of the post-pandemic debt stress may be behind us.
Student Loan Forgiveness Is Taxable Again: The 'Tax Bomb' That Could Cost Borrowers Thousands
A key tax exemption for forgiven student debt expired on December 31, 2025. Borrowers who qualify for forgiveness could now face tax bills exceeding $12,000.
The Student Loan Bankruptcy Myth Is Dead: 87% of Borrowers Who Try Now Succeed
A new study reveals 87% of student loan borrowers who pursue bankruptcy discharge now succeed, up from 40% in 2007. The myth that these debts can't be discharged is finally crumbling.
The CBO's Starkest Warning Yet: America Is Borrowing $24.4 Trillion Over the Next Decade and No One in Washington Has a Plan to Stop It
The CBO's February 2026 report projects $24.4 trillion in deficits over the next decade, with federal debt reaching 120% of GDP by 2036. Here's what the numbers mean for your finances.
The \$25 Trillion Reckoning: Inside the CBO's February 2026 Budget Outlook and What a Generation of Deficits Means for Every Dollar in Your Portfolio
The CBO's February 2026 budget outlook projects \$25 trillion in new federal debt over the next decade, with debt rising to 120% of GDP by 2036. Here's what that means for inflation, interest rates, and every investment portfolio in America.
The 57% Economy: How America's Wealthiest Fifth Controls Consumer Spending — and Why That Concentration Is the Market's Most Dangerous Hidden Risk
The top 20% of American earners now account for a record 57% of all consumer spending. That concentration — combined with record credit card debt and a savings rate below 4% — represents a fragile economic foundation investors need to understand.
The CBO's February Forecast Shows the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Will Add $4.7 Trillion to Deficits Over a Decade, and Even $3 Trillion in Tariff Revenue Cannot Close the Gap
The CBO's February 2026 Budget and Economic Outlook projects federal debt reaching 120% of GDP by 2036, with the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' adding $4.7 trillion in deficits partially offset by $3 trillion in tariff revenue.
Oracle's $50 Billion AI Spending Spree Spooks Wall Street: Inside the Biggest Tech Selloff Since 2001
Oracle crashed 14% after announcing $50 billion in AI capital expenditures. With debt at $108 billion, investors question whether the AI payoff will justify the cost.
The 10-Year Treasury Yield Just Fell to 4.06%, Its Lowest Since December, and the Bond Rally Is Reshaping the Math for Mortgages, Savings, and the National Debt
The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.06% on February 13, its lowest since December, as cooling inflation data sparked the biggest bond rally of 2026 with implications for mortgages, savings, and portfolios.
Europe's $10 Trillion Asset Threat: Why Bessent's 'Irrelevant' Dismissal May Haunt US Debt Markets
Danish and Swedish pension funds are selling US Treasuries over Greenland tensions, but Europe holds $10 trillion in US assets. Why Treasury Secretary Bessent's dismissive response could backfire.
Credit Card Interest Rates Fall to Lowest Level Since March 2023 as Fed Cuts Trickle Down
The average credit card interest rate has fallen to 23.79%, the lowest since March 2023, as Fed rate cuts finally reach consumers carrying $1.23 trillion in balances.