Rick Rieder, Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income at BlackRock, wrote a startling article on “the economic side effects of the student loan crisis.”

1. Homeownership is on the Decline

2. More Student Loan Debt Among Older Age Groups

3. College Education is Still Key to Employment and Earnings

So you have to have a college education to earn decent income and steady employment, but the cost of that degree makes it nearly impossible to purchase a home, save for retirement, etc.

Rieder offers some excellent perspective on why this is some seriously alarming data for the economy.