Another way this is affecting the middle class is via 401(k) loans to keep up with bills or extraordinary expenses. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The middle class is staying afloat on a sea of debt. Four trillion dollars’ worth of debt, to be precise—and that’s all consumer debt, without counting mortgages. What used to be staples for the middle class—car loans, college educations, being able to afford health care—are increasingly turning into anchors attached to that float, and it’s only a matter of time before they drag everyone on it down.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, student debt all by itself totals some $1.5 trillion dollars.

That’s more than any other type of consumer debt except mortgages.  Auto debt — up nearly 40 percent, considering inflation, from where it was a decade ago — is hovering at $1.3 trillion, not surprising if you consider that the average new car loan has risen 11 percent over the last 10 years to $32,187.