Stunning: One In Three American Adults Have Debt 'In Collections'

We spotted this surprising stat today - 35% of U.S. adults with a credit history (91% of the adult population of the U.S.) have debt "in collections" — a status generally not acquired until payments are at least 180 days past due. (Source)

That is about 77 million Americans. Here is what matters, though - about 10 percent of the debts were smaller than $125. But the median debt, $1,350, is not a low number by any measure.