What's Disrupting Americans' Economic Lives

Education spending — largely on student loan debt — has become the chief financial disruptor among Americans, even more so than loss of employment or having to take a lower-paying job, according to a new Harris Poll for TD Ameritrade. In fact, education spending is the only financial disruptor that experienced growth in the past five years.

Here’s how financial disruption causes stacked up in the new survey:

• Education for self and/or other dependent family members: 16 percent of respondents
• Loss of employment/lower paid job: 15 percent
• Supporting others financially: 13 percent
• Poor investment/business performance: 10 percent
• Accident/illness/disability/unable to work: 10 percent
• Divorce/separation/widowed: 10 percent
• Planned family: 9 percent
• Planned home: 8 percent