The total debt held by American households reached a record in early 2017. It is vital that your students understand the intricacies of consumer debt. Readers will explore the relationship between consumer debt and the economy, and the positive and negative impacts of credit card use on consumers. Do credit cards provide for convenient, secure financial transactions, or entrap low-to-middle income consumers with high interest rates and fees? Editor Joseph Tardiff looks at the practices of predatory lenders and debt collection agencies and assesses bankruptcy as an option for handling too much personal debt.