Personal debts - how much is too much?

Source: "Keep the Debt Monkey Off Your Back" By JACLYNE BADAL

My comment:

Too bad that this artice didn't discuss about student loan debts

Credit-card debt

-- Tally the balances on all your consumer debt, like credit cards and car loans (but not home loans). Divide the total by your annual gross income. You want that figure below 30%.

Housing debt

-- No more than 28% of gross monthly income should go toward house-related debt (including taxes and insurance).

-- Some financial planners even suggest to limit total debt payments to 20% of pretax income, so you have a buffer for surprise expenses.

Margin debt

-- Margin debt is regulated by strict rules from the Federal Reserve, the NASD and the NYSE. Investors can't borrow more than 50% of the price of the stock. And their equity in the account can't fall below 25%.

-- However, investors can get pummeled using margin debt and, unlike with other types of debt, the situation can implode in a matter of days or even hours.