More Americans Falling Behind on Debts

More than a third of Americans are falling far behind on their debts, so far behind that those debts are being reported to collection agencies, a new Urban Institute study revealed.

The debts include credit cards, hospital bills, mortgages, auto loans, even cell phone bills, gym memberships, and more.

One reason why: incomes haven't been going up much in recent years. According to the report, roughly 77 million Americans, or 35 percent of adults with a credit file, have a report of debt in collections.

These adults owe an average of $5,178.

Both debt in collections and debt past due are concentrated in the South.