Are You Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’? Americans Are Spending Money They Don’t Have and Hitting Record Debt Levels

Total U.S. household debt just surpassed $14 trillion for the first time ever, and credit card debt hit a new record, as well. These scary debt stats come from the latest report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

As economist Heather Boushey noted… “In the abstract, more debt signals optimism. But in reality, families are using debt as a mechanism to pay for things their incomes don’t support.”

The optimism comes in because the stock market can’t seem to stop hitting new records, and the economy is prospering, so it’s time to spend, spend, spend – even if it’s money you don’t have.

Then the reality sets in as 8.36% of credit cards are now delinquent. Almost 5% of auto loans are at least 90 days overdue. And at least 12% of student loan borrowers are delinquent or in default.

For the moment, let’s ignore the fact that most people have forgotten that the balances in your market-based retirement accounts are “paper” – not “real” – wealth which will vanish with the next market crash.

Let’s focus instead on the lessons most people have forgotten from the last debt crisis. Americans were feeling flush from rising stock market and real estate values, and they were in hock up to their eyeballs.

Then the Bubbles Burst and…

[Read more…] “Are You Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’? Americans Are Spending Money They Don’t Have and Hitting Record Debt Levels”

A Better Way to Save and Pay for College

Paying for college without spending your life’s savings is one of the biggest challenges faced by families today.

The traditional ways of paying for college, such as 529 college savings plans, UGMAs, UTMAs, and student loans all have serious drawbacks. So we put together a video that reveals:

  • Seven important questions to ask yourself when choosing between college saving methods plus a chart that compares them side-by-side
  • A better way to save and pay for a college education for your kids or grandkids – or for yourself – one you probably aren’t hearing about
  • How the Bank On Yourself method can double as a safe college savings plan AND a way to provide you a guaranteed income in retirement that can last as long as you do

This video is a little longer than others we’ve done (it’s 10 minutes) because this is a critical topic and making the wrong decisions can drag down your financial picture for decades. A full transcript of the video can be found below as well. Enjoy and let us know what you think in the comments box below!

Bank on Yourself: A Better Way to Save and Pay for College

Watch this video to learn how a specially designed dividend-paying whole life insurance policy from a Bank On Yourself Professional may be the safest and best way to save for college tuition to meet the rising costs of education.

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Here’s the full text of the video…

The Boomerang Generation”

That’s what many experts are calling today’s crop of young adults.

All too often they go off to college, they graduate, then they return home, sometimes for years. Blame it on the cost of college.
[Read more…] “A Better Way to Save and Pay for College”