I agree with everything written so far and would just like to add a comment about the medical costs. Medical costs aren’t just for the elderly anymore. Anyone with children, or even without children for that matter, can attest to the high costs for medical insurance. Not that this is the reason for the middle class’s debt woes, but it certainly doesn’t help. The well-to-do can afford insurance payments on a PPO. The poor have Medicare/Medicaid, and the illegal immigrants, well they just get free care. It’s the middle class family that ends up shouldering the lion’s share of high medical costs. Don’t forget about the frivelous lawsuits and malpractice insurance, either.