While total household debt rose by $219 billion to $13.51 trillion in 18Q3, the ratio of debt to personal disposable income rose just slightly, from 86% in 18Q2 to 86.54% in 18Q3. This ratio has been remarkably steady since late 2014. It peaked at 116.3% in 2008, just as the Great Recession began. Back in the late 1990s, the ratio was 70%. Of course, interest rates were much higher then.