"Zero Debt" most commonly refers to the bestselling personal finance book Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom by Lynnnette Khalfani-Cox, which provides strategies for eliminating consumer debt. It also refers to ZeroDebt.co.za, a South African company that offers debt review and consolidation services.
The U.S. has had debt since its inception. Our records show that debts incurred during the American Revolutionary War amounted to $75,463,476.52 by January 1, 1791. Over the following 45 years, the debt grew. Notably, the public debt actually shrank to zero by January 1835, under President Andrew Jackson.
As the world's biggest gambling hub, Macao SAR has zero debt, bolstered by billions in gaming revenue and healthy financial reserves. Liechtenstein ranks in second, with virtually no debt and the only country in Europe ranking in the top 10.
A “zero debt” company is the first kind. It funds its operations and growth without borrowing from banks or issuing long-term debt.
The largest holder of U.S. debt is the U.S. government itself, primarily through the Federal Reserve and intragovernmental holdings (like Social Security trust funds), followed by domestic investors (mutual funds, banks, individuals) and then foreign investors, with Japan often leading as the largest foreign holder, though China's holdings have decreased.
Some people use a more strict definition of living debt-free, which includes avoiding credit cards altogether, while others see credit cards as necessary as long as bills are paid on time and in full every month.
The IRS has substantial authority to collect on debts such as student loans or unpaid taxes. It could intercept your tax refund or take your paycheck or bank account. Consumers often can work out a repayment plan to resolve these debts. Like child support, they generally never go away, even in bankruptcy.
1 United States 21,764,799 2 Euro area 18,075,643 3 United Kingdom 9,837,535 4 France 7,368,685 5 Norway 7,110,029 6 Germany 6,6,91,139 7 Japan 4,687,815 8 Netherlands 4,197,719 9 Luxembourg 3,965,300 10 Italy 2,749,75 https://www.ceicdata. com/en/indicator/norway/external-debt--of-nominal- gdp https://www.gfmag.com/ ...
The U.S. dollar would depreciate and the yuan would appreciate if China called in all its U.S. holdings, making Chinese goods more expensive.
The U.S. Treasury has reported a budget surplus of $27 billion for the month of June—the first time since 2017. This is excellent news for our economy and a signal that President Trump's pro-growth policies are on the right track!
On January 8, 1835, president Andrew Jackson paid off the entire national debt, the only time in U.S. history that has been accomplished.
He advocates for using what he calls "good debt" as leverage to buy financial assets such as real estate. In January 2024, Kiyosaki stated that he had more than $1 billion in debt.Additionally, he is a strong proponent of buying gold and silver, often referring to them as "God's money."
Economies with the lowest government debt as a share of GDP 2025. In 2025, Liechtenstein was estimated to have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world, at just 0.5 percent, with Brunei having the second-lowest at 2.3 percent.
Other measures—including net worth, retirement savings, living without debt, and financial flexibility—are not directly related to income. A high-income person with a lot of credit card debt may not be as rich as a debt-free person with a modest income.
To make $3,000 a month ($36,000/year) from investments, you need a significant lump sum or consistent, high-yield income streams, with estimates ranging from roughly $300,000 at a 12% yield to over $700,000 for stable Dividend Aristocrats, depending on your investment type, dividend yield, risk tolerance, and strategy. A simple formula is: Investment Needed = ($3,000 x 12) / Annual Dividend Yield.