What Would America’s Credit Score be if it Were a Person?

It's pretty common knowledge that our government runs up insane amounts of debt and handles money about as well as a 3 year-old. Investopedia decided to try to figure out what the U.S. government's credit score would be if it got graded the same the rest of us do.  And believe it or not, it wouldn't do THAT badly.

Here are four major factors:

#1.)  Pays bills pretty much on time. The U.S. has a great record of paying bills on time.  It's only defaulted on bills twice, in 1790 and 1933, and generally gets the money out in a reasonable time frame.

#2.)  How much debt? The U.S. has an insane amount of debt...about $14 TRILLION.  Compared to our Gross Domestic Product, though, we're actually in better shape debt-wise than countries like Japan, France, Canada, and Germany.

To make sense of that...let's say a person has $100,000 in credit card debt.  That person is in better shape if they make $80,000-a-year than if they make $12,000-a-year.  The U.S. is like the guy with the big debt and the big salary.

#3.)  How much can be borrowed? The U.S. has pretty much maxed out its ability to borrow.  If it were an individual, no bank would give the U.S. a mortgage loan.

#4.)  Length of credit history. The U.S. has been borrowing for centuries.

So...overall, Investopedia says the U.S. would have a credit score of around 650, which is right in the middle of the road.