In almost every similar cycle, when an economic boom turns to bust, the total debt outstanding exceeds the amount of money available to pay for it.

FORBES: Connect

Bernanke responded by noting the Fed only holds about 15% of total debt outstanding, which is lower than before the crisis, and indicates the market is setting Treasury rates.

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Since the redline is defined in debt repayment dollars (not total debt outstanding), it will remind you to cut back on charges if interest rates rise and increase the cost of debt repayment obligations.

FORBES: How Much Debt Can You Handle?

That limit does not prevent rolling over existing debt that is due by issuing new debt to pay it, as that would not increase the total outstanding debt.

FORBES: Presidential Debt-Limit Deceptions And Economic Growth

They can still roll over debt, covering any debt that becomes due with new borrowing, which would not require increasing the total outstanding national debt.

FORBES: Addressing The Various Debt-Limit Delusions

Total outstanding bank debt, including mortgages, in Brazil comes to 35% of annual gross domestic product, compared with 220% in the U.S. Laidler recommends buying Unibanco, Brazil's third-largest private sector bank.

FORBES: Spend, Spend, Spend

Corporate debt now represents 10% of total bonds outstanding in China, compared with around 5% at the end of 2009.

WSJ: China Probe Focuses on Trading of Bonds

Together with local debt, long term government bonds outstanding will total some JPY 900 trillion, close to 180 percent of GDP, a level higher even than crisis-gripped Greece.

FORBES: Of Sumo and Japanese Government Finances

After all, outstanding student loans now eclipse total credit-card debt, and even bankruptcy filers don't typically get out from under their school loans.

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