Source:  US News

Ask your students to come up with some takeaways after analyzing this chart.  Here are a few ideas:

• Overall, student loan debt has more than tripled in the last 10 years from $346 billion to $1.15 trillion
• The bulk of the student loan burden falls on those under 40 years old, although it would appear that about 1/3 of student loan debt is held by those over 40, beyond the age when most student debt should already be paid off.
• Given how student debt seems prevalent even in the 50+ age range (a dramatic shift from 2004), it would seem that cohort of borrowers would be challenged in saving for retirement.
• As for causes, a soft job market, reduced public investment in higher education and ongoing cost increases beyond rate of inflation have led to this student debt situation.

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Looking for lessons and resources focused on student loans? Here's what's available on the NGPF website. 

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.