U.S. Student Loan Debt Sets Record, Doubling Since Recession
- Student debt outstanding reaches a record $1.465 trillion
- Borrowers over age 50 debt rises by $28.8 billion in one year
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U.S. student loan debt outstanding reached a record $1.465 trillion last month and one particular set of borrowers is having a hard time paying back their loans, according to a Bloomberg analysis of student loan securitization data. This debt is raising fiscal risks.
"Over 90% of student loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education, meaning that if a recession causes a rise in youth unemployment and triggers mass defaults, this contingent liability could prove burdensome for the U.S. government budget," said Paul Della Guardia, economist at the Institute of International Finance in emailed comments.