Fall 2008

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Extra Credit: The Rise of Short-term Liabilities

According to the 2004 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), the percentage of families holding debt rose from 72.3 percent in 1989 to 76.4 percent in 2004. Among families hlding debt, the median value of the debt more than doubled during that time from $22,000 to $55,300 (in 2004 dollars). These numbers reflect both a rise in collateralized debt (e.g., mortgages) and uncollateralized debt (e.g., credit cards). (Read more.)

Q&A

What is a credit score?
What are FICO scores?
How are FICO scores determined?
Does a high FICO score guarantee that a consumer will get a loan?
How do borrowers get a better FICO score?

(Read more.)

Economic Snapshot

Household Debt Service Payments as a Percentage of Disposable Personal Income (Read more.)

Bulletin Board

New Curriculum and Materials (Eighth District)
The Great Depression Curriculum Workshop (St. Louis)
Personal Finance from A to Z (Memphis)
Economic Summits (Little Rock)
Essay Contest (Little Rock, Louisville and Memphis)
Econ Camp South (Louisville)

(Read more.)