Are those that claim the US has defaulted on its debts simply misinformed?

[davidmich]

Thank you all. Very helpful.

[scr4]

@robert_columbia

If I am trying to pay my electric bill but I slip and fall on the ice and end up in the ICU, and I pay the bill as soon as I am alert enough to ask for a letter to be added to the hospital’s outgoing mail (which happened to be three hours after the due date), did I “default”? Technically, perhaps I did, but only a moron would see that as a reflection of my creditworthiness.

If you do that with a credit card bill, it can affect your credit rating.

[BrightNShiny]

@scr4

If you do that with a credit card bill, it can affect your credit rating.

And? What’s your point?

[Kenm]

@davidmich

Has the United States Ever Defaulted on Its Debt?

Uniquely in the history of sovereign borrowers, the United States has paid when it said it would pay."

This site, Investopedia, says otherwise. I assume states of war among belligerents stop the payment clocks.

2. Pristine
   There are a number of countries that have pristine record of paying on sovereign debt obligations and have never defaulted. These nations include Canada, Denmark, Belgium, Finland, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland and England.