What causes debt to become overwhelming?

On Behalf of | Apr 6, 2023 | Bankruptcy

Nearly everyone takes on some kind of debt in their life. With a meticulous plan, debt can be quickly paid off.

On the other hand, debt can quickly become overwhelming. How does this happen? Here’s what you should know:

Overspending

Credit cards, which would allow people to purchase something now and pay for it later, are the cause of a lot of financial problems. Once people get them, they can seem almost magical. However, people frequently spend more than they can pay off. 

Late fees

Typically, people are required to pay off a minimum amount of their debts on regular dates. If people don’t make regular payments, then they could have late fees. Late fees not only increase how much people have to pay but can make it harder for people to pay off their debt. If the late fees aren’t paid off, then the debtor will only rack up more debt.

Student loans

College tuition has drastically increased over the years and more students are getting student loans. Student loans can seem like a great way to get the education people need to survive. However, tuition fees are so high that students often get more student loans than they can feasibly afford. Furthermore, students often don’t get a job in their educated field right away, which can make paying student loans harder.

Debt fatigue

Debt can be intimidating. Some people who try and tackle their debt can later feel fatigued. Debt fatigue is the occurrence when someone is overwhelmed and dismayed by their debt and starts spending more of their debt. As a result, this restarts the vicious circle of accumulating debt. 

Unemployment

Many people have well-paying jobs and, as a result, they’ll take on large amounts of debt. If they suddenly lose their job, they’ll struggle to pay off their debt. Their debt can then grow out of hand and cause, as mentioned above, late fees and debt fatigue.

You have many options when looking to resolve overwhelming debt. Many people seek bankruptcy to eliminate some or all of their debt.