A 2023 survey found that 55 percent of Republicans do not think that Congress should raise the debt ceiling after the U.S. treasury reached its spending limits in January 2023. The U.S. debt ceiling does not authorize new spending commitments, it simply allows the government to finance existing legal obligations that it has made in the past. If a government does not raise the debt ceiling, the U.S. treasury will default on its debt, and could trigger an economic recession.

A 2023 survey found that 35 percent of Americans do not think that Congress should raise the debt ceiling after the U.S. treasury reached its spending limits in January 2023. The U.S. debt ceiling does not authorize new spending commitments, it simply allows the government to finance existing legal obligations that it has made in the past. If a government does not raise the debt ceiling, the U.S. treasury will default on its debt, and could trigger an economic recession.

In 2023, the gross federal debt in the United States amounted to around 93,500 U.S. dollars per capita. This is a moderate increase from the previous year, when the per capita national debt amounted to about 92,528 U.S. dollars. The total debt accrued by the U.S. annually can be accessed here. Federal debt of the United States The level of national debt held by the United States government has risen sharply in the years following the Great Recession. Federal debt is the amount of debt the federal government owes to creditors who hold assets in the form of debt securities. As with individuals and consumers, there is a common consensus among economists that holding debt is not necessarily problematic for government so long as the public debt is held at a sustainable level. Although there is no agreed upon ratio of debt to gross domestic product, the increasing debt held by the Federal Reserve has become a major part of the political discourse in the United States. Politics and the national debt In recent years, debate over the debt ceiling has been of concern to domestic politicians, the owners of federal debt, and global economy as a whole. The debt ceiling is a legislated maximum amount that national debt can reach intended to impose a degree of fiscal prudence on incumbent governments. However, as national debt has grown the debt ceiling has been reached, thus forcing legislative action by Congress. In both 2011 and 2013, new legislation was passed by Congress allowing the debt ceiling to be raised. The Budget Control Act of 2011 and the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 successively allowed the government to avoid defaulting on national debt and therefore avert a potential economic crisis.

Graph and download economic data for Delinquency Rate on All Loans, All Commercial Banks (DRALACBN) from Q1 1985 to Q1 2025 about delinquencies, commercial, loans, banks, depository institutions, rate, and USA.

The global student debt recovery services market is experiencing robust growth, driven by the increasing burden of student loan debt worldwide and the rising adoption of sophisticated debt recovery techniques. The market, segmented by application (schools, banks, government, non-profits) and service type (tuition fee, living expenses, other education-related debt), is witnessing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 10% – a figure derived from observing similar financial services sectors and considering the persistent issue of student loan defaults. North America currently holds the largest market share, fueled by high student loan debt levels and a well-established debt recovery infrastructure. However, rapid economic growth and expanding access to higher education in regions like Asia-Pacific are creating significant opportunities for market expansion. Key players in this market are leveraging technological advancements, such as AI-powered analytics and automated debt collection systems, to enhance efficiency and recovery rates. Regulations surrounding debt collection practices also play a significant role, impacting market dynamics and influencing the strategies employed by service providers. The ongoing evolution of these regulations necessitates continuous adaptation and compliance for companies operating in this sector. The competitive landscape is characterized by a mix of large, established players and smaller, specialized firms. These companies compete on factors such as recovery rates, technology, regulatory compliance, and client service. While consolidation and acquisitions are likely to shape the industry landscape in the coming years, the focus on providing ethical and legally compliant services remains paramount. Future growth will depend on factors including the overall economic climate, government policies related to student loans and debt recovery, and the ongoing development and adoption of innovative technologies within the sector. The market is expected to witness further diversification of services, catering to the evolving needs of diverse stakeholders across various geographical regions.

Credit card debt in the United States has been growing at a fast pace between 2021 and 2025. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the overall amount of credit card debt reached its highest value throughout the timeline considered here. COVID-19 had a big impact on the indebtedness of Americans, as credit card debt decreased from *** billion U.S. dollars in the last quarter of 2019 to *** billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2021. What portion of Americans use credit cards? A substantial portion of Americans had at least one credit card in 2025. That year, the penetration rate of credit cards in the United States was ** percent. This number increased by nearly seven percentage points since 2014. The primary factors behind the high utilization of credit cards in the United States are a prevalent culture of convenience, a wide range of reward schemes, and consumer preferences for postponed payments. Which companies dominate the credit card issuing market? In 2024, the leading credit card issuers in the U.S. by volume were JPMorgan Chase & Co. and American Express. Both firms recorded transactions worth over one trillion U.S. dollars that year. Citi and Capital One were the next banks in that ranking, with the transactions made with their credit cards amounting to over half a trillion U.S. dollars that year. Those industry giants, along with other prominent brand names in the industry such as Bank of America, Synchrony Financial, Wells Fargo, and others, dominate the credit card market. Due to their extensive customer base, appealing rewards, and competitive offerings, they have gained a significant market share, making them the preferred choice for consumers.

The educational debt recovery services market is experiencing robust growth, driven by the escalating cost of higher education and increasing student loan defaults globally. The market, estimated at $10 billion in 2025, is projected to exhibit a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8% from 2025 to 2033, reaching approximately $18 billion by 2033. This growth is fueled by several key factors. Firstly, the rising number of students pursuing higher education, coupled with limited financial aid options, is contributing to a significant increase in student loan debt. Secondly, the shift towards outcome-based funding models in higher education incentivizes institutions to pursue more rigorous debt recovery strategies. Thirdly, the increasing sophistication of debt recovery technologies, including AI-powered solutions for efficient identification and engagement of defaulters, further enhances the market's expansion. The market is segmented by application (Higher Education, Vocational Education and Training, Basic Education and Special Education, Others) and type of collection (Non-litigation Collection, Litigation Collection). North America currently holds the largest market share due to its high student loan debt levels and established debt recovery infrastructure, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. However, growth in emerging economies like India and China is expected to significantly contribute to the market's expansion in the coming years. Challenges include stringent regulations surrounding debt collection practices and the ethical considerations associated with aggressive recovery methods. Nevertheless, the market presents significant opportunities for companies specializing in innovative and ethical debt recovery solutions. The competitive landscape is characterized by a mix of large multinational corporations and smaller specialized firms. Companies like STA International, Cedar Financial, and Legal Recoveries are prominent players, competing on the basis of technological capabilities, recovery rates, and geographic reach. The market is expected to witness further consolidation as larger firms acquire smaller players to expand their service offerings and market reach. The increasing use of technology and data analytics to improve efficiency and recovery rates will continue to reshape the competitive landscape. The focus on ethical and compliant debt recovery practices is becoming increasingly crucial, given growing public scrutiny and regulatory oversight in this sector. Strategic partnerships between educational institutions and debt recovery firms are also expected to gain momentum, optimizing debt recovery processes and minimizing financial losses for institutions.

Graph and download economic data for Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks (DRCCLACBS) from Q1 1991 to Q1 2025 about credit cards, delinquencies, commercial, loans, banks, depository institutions, rate, and USA.

Wage garnishment allows creditors to deduct money directly from workers’ paychecks to repay defaulted debts. We document new facts about wage garnishment between 2014–2019 using data from a large payroll processor who distributes paychecks to approximately 20% of U.S. private-sector workers. As of 2019, over one in every 100 workers was being garnished for delinquent debt. The average garnished worker experiences garnishment for five months, during which approximately 11% of gross earnings is remitted to their creditor(s). The beginning of a new garnishment is associated with an increase in job turnover rates but no intensive margin change in hours worked.

Ethiopia external debt for 2023 was 33.29 billion US dollars, a 8.66% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Ethiopia external debt for 2022 was <strong>30.64 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>4.26% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Ethiopia external debt for 2021 was <strong>32.00 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>1.12% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Ethiopia external debt for 2020 was <strong>32.36 billion US dollars</strong>, a <strong>6.54% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

This data represents the semi-annual yield to worst of the ICE BofA US Corporate Index, which tracks the performance of US dollar denominated investment grade rated corporate debt publicly issued in the US domestic market. To qualify for inclusion in the index, securities must have an investment grade rating (based on an average of Moody's, S&P, and Fitch) and an investment grade rated country of risk (based on an average of Moody's, S&P, and Fitch foreign currency long term sovereign debt ratings). Each security must have greater than 1 year of remaining maturity, a fixed coupon schedule, and a minimum amount outstanding of $250 million. Original issue zero coupon bonds, "global" securities (debt issued simultaneously in the eurobond and US domestic bond markets), 144a securities and pay-in-kind securities, including toggle notes, qualify for inclusion in the Index. Callable perpetual securities qualify provided they are at least one year from the first call date. Fixed-to-floating rate securities also qualify provided they are callable within the fixed rate period and are at least one year from the last call prior to the date the bond transitions from a fixed to a floating rate security. DRD-eligible and defaulted securities are excluded from the Index.

ICE BofA Explains the Construction Methodology of this series as:

Index constituents are capitalization-weighted based on their current amount outstanding. With the exception of U.S. mortgage pass-throughs and U.S. structured products (ABS, CMBS and CMOs), accrued interest is calculated assuming next-day settlement. Accrued interest for U.S. mortgage pass-through and U.S. structured products is calculated assuming same-day settlement. Cash flows from bond payments that are received during the month are retained in the index until the end of the month and then are removed as part of the rebalancing. Cash does not earn any reinvestment income while it is held in the Index. The Index is rebalanced on the last calendar day of the month, based on information available up to and including the third business day before the last business day of the month. Issues that meet the qualifying criteria are included in the Index for the following month. Issues that no longer meet the criteria during the course of the month remain in the Index until the next month-end rebalancing at which point they are removed from the Index.

When the last calendar day of the month takes place on the weekend, weekend observations will occur as a result of month ending accrued interest adjustments.

Yield to worst is the lowest potential yield that a bond can generate without the issuer defaulting. The standard US convention for this series is to use semi-annual coupon payments, whereas the standard in the foreign markets is to use coupon payments with frequencies of annual, semi-annual, quarterly, and monthly.

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Graph and download economic data for Delinquency Rate on Commercial Real Estate Loans (Excluding Farmland), Booked in Domestic Offices, All Commercial Banks (DRCRELEXFACBS) from Q1 1991 to Q1 2025 about farmland, domestic offices, delinquencies, real estate, commercial, domestic, loans, banks, depository institutions, rate, and USA.

In 2022, the student loan default rate in the United States was highest for Black borrowers, at 34.4 percent. In comparison, Asian borrowers were least likely to default on their student loans.

This statistic shows the national debt of Greece from 2020 to 2023, with projections until 2030. In 2023, the national debt in Greece was around 420.4 billion U.S. dollars. In a ranking of debt to GDP per country, Greece is currently ranked third. Greece's struggle after the financial crisis Greece is a developed country in the EU and is highly dependent on its service sector as well as its tourism sector in order to gain profits. After going through a large economic boom from the 1950s to the 1970s as well as somewhat high GDP growth in the early to mid 2000s, Greece’s economy took a turn for the worse and struggled intensively, primarily due to the Great Recession, the Euro crisis as well as its own debt crisis. National debt within the country saw significant gains over the past decades, however roughly came to a halt due to financial rescue packages issued from the European Union in order to help Greece maintain and improve their economical situation. The nation’s continuous rise in debt has overwhelmed its estimated GDP over the years, which can be attributed to poor government execution and unnecessary spending. Large sums of financial aid were taken from major European banks to help balance out these government-induced failures and to potentially help refuel the economy to encourage more spending, which in turn would decrease the country’s continuously rising unemployment rate. Investors, consumers and workers alike are struggling to see a bright future in Greece, whose chances of an economic comeback are much lower than that of other struggling countries such as Portugal and Italy. However, Greece's financial situation might improve in the future, as it is estimated that at least its national debt will decrease - slowly, but steadily. Still, since its future participation in the European Union is in limbo as of now, these figures can only be estimates, not predictions.

United States Loan Officer Survey: DB Large Banks: Somewhat Important data was reported at 0.000 % in Apr 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for Jan 2018. United States Loan Officer Survey: DB Large Banks: Somewhat Important data is updated quarterly, averaging 6.700 % from Jan 2008 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50.000 % in Apr 2011 and a record low of 0.000 % in Apr 2018. United States Loan Officer Survey: DB Large Banks: Somewhat Important data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Board. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.KA041: Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey: Lending Policies: Reason for Credit Tightening. Senior Loan Officer Survey Questionnaire: If your bank has tightened its credit standards or its terms for C&I loans or credit lines over the past three months, how important have been the increase in borrowers default in debt market for the change?

United States Loan Officer Survey: DB: Somewhat Important data was reported at 22.200 % in Apr 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.100 % for Jan 2018. United States Loan Officer Survey: DB: Somewhat Important data is updated quarterly, averaging 8.250 % from Jan 2008 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 42 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.000 % in Apr 2011 and a record low of 0.000 % in Jul 2017. United States Loan Officer Survey: DB: Somewhat Important data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Board. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.KA041: Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey: Lending Policies: Reason for Credit Tightening. Senior Loan Officer Survey Questionnaire: If your bank has tightened its credit standards or its terms for C&I loans or credit lines over the past three months, how important have been the increase in borrowers default in debt market for the change?

United States LS: Deterioration of Banks Liquidty Poistion (DB): Not Important data was reported at 75.000 % in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 80.000 % for Jul 2018. United States LS: Deterioration of Banks Liquidty Poistion (DB): Not Important data is updated quarterly, averaging 87.500 % from Jan 2008 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in Jul 2015 and a record low of 20.000 % in Apr 2011. United States LS: Deterioration of Banks Liquidty Poistion (DB): Not Important data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Board. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.S027: Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey: Lending Policies: Reason for Credit Tightening. Senior Loan Officer Survey Questionnaire: If your bank has tightened its credit standards or its terms for C&I loans or credit lines over the past three months, how important have been the increase in borrowers default in debt market for the change?

United States - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks was 3.05% in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks reached a record high of 6.77 in April of 2009 and a record low of 1.53 in July of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Delinquency Rate on Credit Card Loans, All Commercial Banks - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Outstanding debt as a percentage of market value of taxable property

United States - Delinquency Rate on Consumer Loans, All Commercial Banks was 2.77% in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Delinquency Rate on Consumer Loans, All Commercial Banks reached a record high of 4.85 in April of 2009 and a record low of 1.53 in April of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Delinquency Rate on Consumer Loans, All Commercial Banks - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.