Americans and Debt Management

According to our nation's financial literacy experts, most Americans recognize the concepts behind achieving financial fitness, and even believe that they, personally, handle their money with just the right touch.

Unfortunately, the truth is that many of us don't put the proper concepts into action—too often, we fail to budget and plan properly, we misuse credit and we don't save for emergencies, long-term goals and retirement.

Worse, a growing number of Americans are in a state of "debt denial"—we look the other way as our credit and debt problems mount up, failing to take action until the situation becomes critical.

Where Do You Stand?

If you suspect that your financial methods could use some finesse, maybe it's time to perform a self-intervention. A quick and easy way to gauge yourself is to take the simple quizzes in the debt management tools section of this site. In just a few minutes, you can find out if "debt denial" threatens to make a dent in your financial future or whether you've got the financial skills you always thought you had.

• Financial Health Quiz
• Household Budget Calculator
• Debt to Income Calculator
• Bi-Weekly Mortgage Calculator
• The Financial Danger Zone: Are you in it?