Americans Owe $1 Trillion in Student Loan Debt

If you’re currently making payments in an effort to pay back debt incurred while attending college, you’re not alone. According to this report “about 40 percent of households led by someone 35 or younger have student loan debt” totaling more than $1 trillion nationwide. Nearly 12 million (of the 20 million who attend college each year) take out a student loan. Research by financial experts also say that large student loan payments can significantly hurt a young adult’s ability to begin to accumulate wealth: “The median 2009 net worth for a household without outstanding student debt was $117,700, nearly three times the $42,800 worth in a household with outstanding student debt.” The good news is, lawmakers are beginning to take notice. The Obama administration has proposed new measures that would provide incentives for colleges to keep costs down, and Congress is considering legislation that will allow student loan holders to refinance at a lower rate …