This is disingenuous, alarmist, click-bait, bulls**t. The $28T figure consists of: * ~$6T held by the Federal Reserve: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FDHB

This is disingenuous, alarmist, click-bait, bulls**t. The $28T figure consists of: * ~$6T held by the Federal Reserve: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FDHBFRBN https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FDHBFRBN -- this is money that the government owes, quite literally, to itself, made possible by the independence of the Federal Reserve, which has been buying government obligations to keep interest rates low. * ~$7T held by foreigners: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FDHBFIN https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FDHBFIN -- this is money that will have to be paid to foreigners, over the long run. * ~$15T held by US taxpayers, calculated as total held by the public (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYGFDPUN https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYGFDPUN) less total held by foreigners (above). Thus the US federal government owes $15T to taxpayers. If you have a bond index in your 401(k), then YOU are one of those taxpayers to whom the US government owes those $15T. The federal government owes money TO you. Your share is how much you will receive. The social-safety-net figures in excess of the $28T are future obligations... also owed to, guess who? US taxpayers. If you expect to benefit from Medicare and/or Social Security in your old age, then YOU are one of those taxpayers to whom the US government owes those future obligations. The federal government owes those obligations TO you. Your share is how much you will receive.