Economics & Inequality Retirement Security Education Health Care Homeland Security Election Reform Media & Politics International Affairs TCF Project Sites: Donate to TCF Join our Listserv  Taking Note Home About TCF News Room Join our Listserv Life and Debt: Why American Families are Borrowing to the Hilt     Email    Printer-Friendly Alex Baker, The Century Foundation, 7/29/2004 Download in PDF format Household debt and personal bankruptcies are reaching record highs despite low interest rates and rising real estate values. Median mortgage debt for low-income families has tripled since 1989, while total household debt has risen to over 80 percent of GDP, up from only half in 1980. It appears American families are borrowing more than ever just to make ends meet, buy a house, or educate their children. Life and Debt looks at how families are becoming more indebted, and what some of the harmful consequences might be. Read other reports in the Reality Check series here. Edition: Online/ Paper    Pages: 12    Price: $3.50 Copyright 2008 The Century Foundation. Privacy Policy NY Office: 41 East 70th Street—New York, New York—10021—Phone:212-535-4441—212-879-9197 DC Office: 1333 H Street, NW—10th Floor— Washington, D.C. 20005— Phone: 202-387-0400— Fax: 202-483-9430