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As mortgage rates linger near 6.5%, a new fiscal threat taking shape in Washington could add further pressure to housing affordability. Research from George Mason University’s Mercatus Center connects Social Security’s funding crisis to the bond market dynamics that shape your mortgage rate. The connection runs through the federal debt, a channel separate from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions that most borrowers have been watching.Without a congressional fix before the retirement trust fund depletes in late 2032, the government could face hundreds of billions in new annual borrowing, the Mercatus Center research found.That surge in Treasury issuance would push bond yields higher, and 30-year mortgage rates could climb from about 6.3% toward 9%, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget projected. Bond investors would not wait for the trust fund to hit zero, because markets tend to reprice risk well ahead of fiscal deadlines, the researchers warned. How the trust fund shortfall could affect mortgage paymentsSocial Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance trust fund will deplete its reserves in the fourth quarter of 2032, the latest trustees report confirmed. At that point, ongoing payroll tax revenue would cover only 78% of scheduled benefits, leaving retirees with a 22% cut across all benefits.Bond markets could begin repositioning as soon as 12 months out from the projected depletion date if Congress fails to act, Jason Fichtner, executive director at the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute told CNBC.Financial markets may be pricing in a responsible congressional solution now, but if that expectation shifts toward large-scale borrowing, the correction will not come gradually, the researchers noted. Related: AARP, Fidelity share major warning on Social Security, 401(k)sThe OASI trust fund’s early-2030s depletion is “the inflection point that could lead to a fiscal crisis if legislative action is not taken beforehand,” wrote Mercatus senior research fellow Veronique de Rugy and Fichtner.The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget modeled replacing Social Security payroll tax revenue with borrowed money to cover funding shortfalls. Such borrowing could raise the neutral rate on 10-year Treasury bonds from 4.0% to roughly 6.6%, according to its 2025 research.A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage would follow that trajectory, potentially rising from roughly 6.3% to close to 9%, the organization projected.A $29.3 trillion gap with accelerating warning signsThe 2026 OASDI Trustees Report reveals a significantly worse financial picture than the year before, with the 75-year shortfall surging to $29.3 trillion from $25.1 trillion. Three forces drove the deterioration: a lower fertility assumption and lower net immigration both point to a smaller future workforce, while the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act reduced projected tax revenue flowing to the trust funds, the Bipartisan Policy Center explainedThe Social Security Administration lowered its long-run fertility estimate from 1.9 children per woman to 1.75, reducing the projected future workforce that funds the system. Immigration assumptions also fell, further shrinking the payroll tax base, and the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut the trust fund’s income tax revenue, the report confirmed. More Social Security:Fidelity offers a lifeline to millions before Social Security shiftsSocial Security retirees could pocket a bigger 2027 raiseSocial Security’s funds will run out sooner than expectedMercatus research found that Social Security’s annual funding gap will reach $600 billion by 2033 and grow to about $700 billion by 2036. That gap would add to an already strained federal balance sheet, with the national debt projected to hit $46.5 trillion by 2033.Early warning signals have already appeared in Treasury markets, with foreign holdings of U.S. government debt declining amid tariff-driven global uncertainty, Fichtner noted. Inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, and longer-maturity yields on Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities suggest investors expect elevated price growth to persist, Fichtner and de Rugy warned.

Social Security’s projected funding gap has ballooned to $29.3 trillion.Maskot/Getty Images

What proactive reform could mean for rates and the economyThe borrowing-driven rate spike is not inevitable, and the researchers argue that early action on Social Security could produce the opposite economic result. Marc Goldwein, senior vice president at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, told CNBC that structural reform could support faster economic growth. “If we make smart choices, we can target Social Security benefits to those who need it and actually promote faster economic growth in the process,” Goldwein said.The committee’s own 2019 reform proposal projected that a balanced fix could expand the economy’s total output by 3.5% to 13% by 2050. Any adjustments to Social Security may change incentives to save, invest, and work, Goldwein told CNBC. For homebuyers tracking 30-year rates in the mid-6% range, the Social Security standoff introduces a variable that the Federal Reserve’s decisions cannot control. Gopi Shah Goda, director of the Brookings Institution’s Retirement Security Project, said lawmakers had more gradual policy options two decades ago. Today, policymakers face greater urgency because they must address Social Security’s revenue shortfalls or benefit reductions much sooner, Goda told AARP.The senators elected in the 2026 midterms will still be in office when the trust fund runs dry, and their choices will determine what follows, the Bipartisan Policy Center warned. Social Security’s timeline matters for housing affordabilityWhether mortgage rates hold in the mid-6% range or surge toward levels not seen in decades depends on how quickly Congress addresses Social Security’s shortfall. Every year of delay narrows the available fixes and raises the cost of eventual reform, the Bipartisan Policy Center noted.Rising Treasury yields from Social Security borrowing would affect not only retirees but also families trying to buy or refinance homes.The 2032 deadline is six years away, but bond market consequences could arrive well before the trust fund reaches zero, the researchers stressed.Related: Americans must face long-term reality after mortgage rate news

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Nobody walks down the aisle expecting to fight about a credit card statement. Yet money consistently ranks among the top sources of conflict in American marriages, and it trails only infidelity as a leading cause of divorce.The way many couples respond to that risk is telling. Separate checking accounts, separate credit cards, and entirely separate money lives have become the default arrangement, especially among younger spouses.The thinking goes that a little financial independence keeps the peace. If nobody shares an account, nobody argues over what comes out of it.In my years covering personal finance advice, I have watched that arrangement grow from an outlier into something close to conventional wisdom for newlyweds.Dave Ramsey believes the new conventional wisdom has things exactly backward.The bestselling personal finance author and host of The Ramsey Show has spent decades telling couples to merge every dollar they earn. On June 29, he condensed that philosophy into a few blunt sentences that have been ricocheting around social media ever since.”Marriage isn’t 50/50. Marriage is 100/100,” Ramsey wrote on X. “If you’re married, ‘my money’ and ‘your money’ do not exist. It’s OUR money.”He called it the only way for couples to win, together.

Dave Ramsey draws one of his hardest lines yet on how spouses handle money.Ippei Naoi / Getty Images

Money fights are quietly breaking American marriagesRamsey’s company has spent years polling couples on exactly this question, and the findings help explain why his rule touches such a nerve.Ramsey has offered blunt advice on marriage and money before, often responding to couples wrestling with lopsided incomes and uneven debts, as TheStreet reported in 2025. Money is the number one issue married couples fight about, and it ranks as the second leading cause of divorce behind infidelity, according to a study of more than 1,000 U.S. adults from Ramsey Solutions.The secrecy problem may be the most corrosive part. Nearly half of people in committed relationships, 45%, admit they do not know everything about their spouse’s or partner’s finances, according to a January survey from Bankrate.Here is what the research shows about money inside marriages:63% of all marriages start off in debt, according to Ramsey Solutions.Couples who fight about money carry roughly $30,000 in consumer debt on average, per the same study41% of couples with consumer debt argue about money, versus 25% of debt-free couples, Ramsey Solutions also found.43% of Americans say keeping financial secrets is at least as bad as physical cheating, according to Bankrate.Those numbers describe a slow leak, not a blowout. Few marriages end over a single purchase. They erode over years of small arguments and quiet omissions.I ran a quick calculation on what that debt load actually feels like. If even half of that $30,000 sat on a credit card at roughly 20% interest, the interest alone would run about $250 a month. That is a recurring argument delivered to your household every 30 days.Related: Dave Ramsey says one daily habit costs you $5,000 a yearDave Ramsey says married couples must combine everythingThe June 29 post is not a one-off. It is the shortest version of an argument Ramsey has been making since he began teaching money classes in the 1990s.Separate finances create division, Ramsey argued in the post, while couples who handle money together build trust, teamwork and a shared future they both believe in.More Personal Finance:Dave Ramsey, Vanguard warn Americans on housing costsDivorce doesn’t automatically update beneficiary designations, trusts or estate plansFidelity, Vanguard have a warning for anyone taking RMDsWhen a caller once asked him whether newlyweds should merge accounts or simply split expenses down the middle, his answer left no wiggle room. “You combine everything. There is no middle,” he said on The Ramsey Show, in remarks reported by Benzinga.He often points to the wedding ceremony itself, noting that the preacher pronounced the couple as one, not as a joint venture.What struck me when I went back through his older interviews is how little the message has moved in three decades. The delivery keeps getting sharper, but the rule never changes.That consistency matters, because the country has been drifting the other way, and fast.Among Gen Z couples who are married or living together, 88% keep at least some of their money separate, compared with 52% of baby boomer couples, according to a separate Bankrate survey. Nearly half of those Gen Z couples keep everything apart.The youngest married Americans, put plainly, are building exactly the arrangement Ramsey is warning against.What joint account research says about Ramsey’s ruleYou do not have to take a radio host’s word for any of this. I ran Ramsey’s claim against the academic research, and the evidence lines up more closely than his critics might expect.Researchers followed 230 engaged and newlywed couples for two years, randomly assigning some to open joint bank accounts and others to keep their money separate, according to Indiana University.Couples told to merge their money sustained strong relationship quality across those first two years of marriage, while couples with separate accounts showed the typical newlywed decline, per the study published in the Journal of Consumer Research.The joint account couples also fought less about money and felt better about how household finances were handled, the researchers found. Merging promoted shared goals and a sense that nobody was keeping score.Lead researcher Jenny Olson described the difference as a shift in mindset. Partners with merged money helped each other because one of them had a need, while partners with separate accounts treated favors more like transactions to be repaid, she explained. Separate accounts also made it feel easier to walk away from the relationship.There is one caveat worth taking seriously. Couples do not necessarily need to combine every dollar, “but you do need to be aware of where your money is going,” Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman said.Financial therapists raise a sharper exception, cautioning that fully merged accounts can be risky for people recovering from financially abusive relationships. Ramsey’s rule assumes two partners acting in good faith.What married couples should do with Ramsey’s adviceYou do not have to merge every account this weekend to act on any of this.The common thread connecting Ramsey’s post, the survey data and the academic research is visibility. Couples who can see each other’s money stop keeping score, and couples who stop keeping score fight less.Ramsey’s version is the maximalist one, a single pot with a single plan. The research suggests even partial moves in that direction, like a joint bills account, a monthly budget meeting or a full debt disclosure, buy real trust.The couples most at risk are not the ones who deliberately choose separate accounts. They are the ones who never have the conversation at all.So if you are married and have never asked your spouse what winning with money actually looks like, have that talk soon. It is a lot cheaper than letting the next money fight find you first.Related: Kevin O’Leary reveals the gift mistake ruining marriages

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.There are few things more exciting than shopping for a brand new sofa. That said, the experience is even more enjoyable if you’re able to find a good deal on said furniture. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for a low-priced sofa, and we’ve just found one on sale at Walmart that has us on cloud nine. Online furniture sales have exploded over the past few years, and retailers like Walmart are scrambling to get in on the action. That’s why they often have shocking deals on great pieces. If you strike at the right moment, you can even redecorate your entire home for a fraction of the cost that you would have expected to pay. The above-mentioned couch is a boneless sectional that has an ultra-plush design similar to the viral Cloud Couch that costs 10x the price. This lookalike is available as a Flash deal, which means it’s only available at the discounted price for a limited time. That’s why it’s imperative that you take a look sooner rather than later if you want to take advantage of the exceptionally low price.What is a cloud sofa?There’s a good chance you’ve heard something about cloud sofas lately. However, not everyone knows exactly what one is. To state it simply, a cloud sofa is a deep-seated couch that typically has a lower-than-usual profile. They’re named as such because it’s said that sitting in one feels kind of like you’d imagine sinking into a cloud would feel. These sofas have become incredibly popular as of late. Part of this popularity has been driven by the exceptional comfort they offer. However, there’s also been a social media virality aspect to the increased sales of these couches. No matter the reason that people decide to buy one in the first place, most seem to be very satisfied with their purchases. The proliferation of cloud sofas in American living rooms seems to be more of a cultural shift than merely a passing fad.Another important aspect of many of the most popular cloud sofa models has to do with their versatility. Cloud sectionals are in high demand because they offer a more adaptable option for the user. Many are extremely lightweight and don’t necessarily have to be used in just one way. A lot of the most sought-after cloud sectionals have modular designs that allow you to move the individual pieces into any configuration you want. That makes them ideal for families with constantly changing space needs.Idealsoul Cloud Sectional Sofa

Courtesy of Walmart

Check price at WalmartThe Idealsoul Cloud Sectional Sofa is a great example of why these couches are popping up everywhere you look. It has an extra-wide corduroy pattern with a velvet-feel upholstery. The ultra-deep seating design makes for a comfortable place to lie down, as opposed to smaller sofas that are only good for sitting. The overall dimensions of the sectional when positioned into an L shape are 104 inches long by 67 inches wide by 26.6 inches high. It’s a modular model as well, which means you can position the individual pieces as you wish to fit a number of spaces as needed.Adding to the cloud analogy is the construction of this couch. These pieces are also sometimes referred to as a “boneless” sofa because it has no internal frame or structure of which to speak. Each piece comes rolled and suction packed in a plastic bag. When you open the bag, the sofa expands over many hours, until finally you have a full-sized piece of furniture in the end. It’s a great way to get furniture shipped without a lot of extra hassle. It’s available in four color variants as well, so you have plenty of choices if matching your current living room decor is a concern.More cloud sofasIf this specific cloud sofa isn’t to your liking, there are plenty of other models available. In addition to Walmart, Amazon also has lots of great options similar to the above model. We’ve compiled a few of our favorites just in case you’re still looking. However, keep in mind that the Idealsoul Cloud Sectional Sofa is only on sale for a limited time, so take a chance on that one if you’re even remotely interested before looking any further.Vanress Modular Cloud Sofa

Courtesy of Walmart

Check price at WalmartVesgantti Boneless Sofa

Check price at AmazonKislot Boneless Cloud Sofa

Courtesy of Amazon

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