September 30, 2025

Where’s the Debt? | Consumer vs. National Debt Explained (Mortgages, Cars, Credit Cards & DTI)

37 minutes

From AssetBuilder’s Plano HQ, host Joey Badinger sits down with Adam Morse, Janet Griffith, and Tommy Williams to unpack America’s debt picture—from household budgets to the federal balance sheet. We break down mortgages vs. auto/student/credit-card debt, what rising rates mean, how to use debt-to-income (DTI) the smart way (the 28/36 rule), and practical habits to avoid lifestyle creep and instant-gratification financing.

You’ll learn:

How much U.S. households owe (and where it sits by generation)

Why mortgages can be “productive” debt—and why long car loans aren’t

Current rate realities (mortgage, auto, student loans, credit cards)

Exactly how to calculate your DTI (with target ranges)

Behavior traps: BNPL, long auto terms, monthly-payment thinking

What “deficits” mean at home and at the national level—and why they compound

Hosts & Credentials:

Joey Badinger (Lead Advisor), Adam Morse (Director of Advising), Janet Griffith (Senior Advisor), Tommy Williams (Associate Advisor), AssetBuilder, Plano, TX.

Contact the show: https://www.assetbuilder.com

Chapters

00:00 Intro & Disclaimer

00:32 Welcome, Hosts & Setup (Plano HQ)

01:00 What We’re Covering: Consumer vs. National Debt

02:00 U.S. Household Debt Snapshot (Totals & Averages)

03:15 Debt by Age Cohort (30–39, 40–49 peak, etc.)

05:10 Gen Z, Mortgages & Down Payments

06:00 Is Debt “Bad”? Productive vs. Dangerous Debt

07:20 National Debt vs. GDP (Post-WWII to Today)

09:40 Auto Loans Deep Dive (Long Terms, Delinquencies)

12:10 Average Loan Sizes (New vs. Used)

13:00 Deficits at Home & Nationally—What It Means

14:20 Growth Limits, Demographics & Reality Check

16:00 Rate Check: Mortgage, Auto, Credit Cards, Student Loans

18:30 Emergency Funds > High-APR Credit Cards

20:10 BNPL & Instant-Gratification Traps

21:10 Know Your Biases (Impulse, Overconfidence)

22:40 Budgeting Habits That Actually Stick

26:10 How to Calculate DTI (28/36 Rule)

28:30 Lender Approval vs. Healthy DTI

31:00 Why 70+ Debt Can Be Risky (Context Matters)

33:00 Depreciating vs. Appreciating Assets (Cars vs. Homes)

34:20 Action Steps: Start Small, Delay Gratification

36:00 How to Contact & Subscribe

36:30 Sign-Off & Disclosure

Key Takeaways

Debt is a tool, not a villain. Mortgages can raise quality of life; revolving/consumer debt at high APRs can snowball.

Auto loans are 2nd-largest consumer debt and loan terms are stretching—be wary of “just the monthly.”

Credit-card APRs >20% make balances dangerous; build emergency savings to avoid swipes under stress.

DTI targets: ≤28% housing (PITI+HOA), ≤36% total debts is healthy; 50%+ is a red flag.

Behavior beats hacks: budget regularly, delay gratification, prefer used cars/shorter terms, question “need vs. want.”

Hashtags & Keywords

Keywords: consumer debt 2025, debt to income ratio, 28/36 rule, mortgage vs rent, auto loan terms, credit card APR, student loans, national debt vs GDP, budgeting tips, AssetBuilder advisors

Hashtags: #PersonalFinance #DebtFreeJourney #DTI #Mortgage #AutoLoans #CreditCards #Investing #Budgeting #KeepItSimplePodcast #AssetBuilder

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