Nov 10, 2020

5 Resources to Decipher the U.S. Debt Clock

The U.S. Debt Clock illustrates our soaring debt by the second. As sobering as it is, it can serve as a springboard into multiple personal finance topics. 

Student loan debt

By the time readers are engaging with this article, our national student loan debt may have surpassed $1.7 trillion. Use this to ignite a discussion and select one of these three interactives to extend their learning.

Credit card debt

American consumer credit card debt is approaching $1 trillion, and I have to wonder, is it in part because 90% of credit card Terms & Conditions require a college education to be understood? Interactives such as these and our Schumer Box fine print activity can at least help students understand their credit card statements and agreement forms. 

Household debt

Are you finding the math behind our increasing total household debt hard to wrap your mind around? If so, our Math Monday: Percent Change in Household Debt will help you solve the problem.

Debt Collectors

Do your students wonder what happens when consumers fail to pay their debts? Our Debt Collectors Ed Puzzle has all the answers. 

Bonus: Economics 

For those of you who teach economics, the debt clock is a treasure trove of discussion starters, and we have excellent resources to support whatever direction those conversations go.

About the Author

Brian Page

Making a difference in the lives of students through financial capability is Brian’s greatest passion. He comes to NGPF after fifteen years of public school teaching where he was the ‘11 Ohio Department of Education recipient of a Milken National Educator Award, the CEE Forbes Award winner, and a Money Magazine/CNN "Money Hero". He served on the working group for President Obama's Advisory Council on Financial Capability. He has private school experience as a Trustee for the Cincinnati Country Day School and was a past Ohio Jump$tart President. Brian holds a BBA and M.Ed. When Brian isn’t working alongside his NGPF teammates he is likely spending time with his wife, three children, and dog; hiking, or watching Ohio State football.

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