STAT!

Scott Earl said these statistics are worth paying attention to:

* 20 years ago, the average family debt represented about 66% of discretionary income. Today, debt represents 113% of discretionary income.

* Some five-billion preapproved card offers totaling $300,000 of credit per family are sent every year.

* Individuals are 49% more likely to go without health insurance today than a generation ago.

* Medical costs send 150,000 families to bankruptcy court every year.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER