In the fourth quarter of 2023, American household debt hit $17.5 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve's quarterly report on household debt and credit.
That's $212 billion more than in the third quarter of that year, and $50 billion more than in the fourth quarter of 2017, reports the Wall Street Journal.
And that's not counting credit card debt, which hit a new record of $1.13 trillion.
"This significant increase in debt underscores the critical need for resources and tools that can help address the root causes and effects of financial distress among American consumers," says Thomas Nitzsche, CEO of Money Management International, which has just launched a consumer distress dashboard.
Among its findings: The average amount of unsecured debt held by MMI's new clients is nearly $30,000, with an average monthly budget deficit of more than $300.
The demand for financial counseling has risen 54% over the same period last year.
New clients are now joining MMI's debt management plan at a rate not seen since 2012.
The average amount of student loan debt held by MMI's new clients is almost $20,000, with an average monthly budget deficit of more than $1,000.
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