Millions of Americans are still grappling with debt they’ve accumulated since the recession hit. And new numbers out Monday show many are having a tougher time than you might think.
One in 10 working Americans between the ages of 35 and 44 are getting their wages garnished. That means their pay is being docked — often over an old credit card debt, medical bill or student loan.
That striking figure comes out of a collaboration between NPR and ProPublica. The reporting offers the first available national numbers on wage garnishment.
A ‘Roundhouse’ Punch
Back in 2009, Kevin Evans was one of millions of Americans blindsided by the recession. He had a 25-year career selling office furniture, but suddenly, companies stopped buying furniture. His income collapsed. He sold his three-bedroom home outside Kansas City that he could no longer afford.
via Millions Of Americans’ Wages Seized Over Credit Card And Medical Debt : NPR.