Published November 6, 2008  Submitted by: Mike

In 1959, debt made up 58.8% of a typical household's disposable income.  In 2007, the figure jumped to 141.3%.  Mortgage debt (103.3% in 2007) was 37.1% in 1959; consumer credit went from 16.3% ('59) to 25.1% ('07).  Particularly disturbing, when one considers the recent Commerce Department report that consumers' disposable income has suffered its worst recorded decline.