"You load sixteen tons, and whaddya get/Another day older and deeper in debt…"* Most Americans could be singing right along with Tennessee Ernie Ford on that song because they're carrying a humongous load of debt just on their credit cards—more than a trillion dollars, according to a WalletHub report. It's affecting such things as the milestones in the lives of young people -- delaying formerly normal activities as moving out, buying a home, getting married or having kids. And it's affecting older people's hoped-for retirement at the end of a career. WalletHub examined TransUnion credit data, as well as information from the U.S. Census Bureau and Federal Reserve, then calculated how long it would take to pay off the median balance, considering the median payment as well as the finance charges that would pile up as consumers worked on the debt. The degree to which people are in thrall to their credit cards differs, of course, with some owing far more than others. In addition, residents in some states have lower credit card debt than others, with the chance of paying off the balance correspondingly better. And don't forget that finance charge—WalletHub calculated it at an average of 16.91 percent, and then tacked that cost on to the balance (just as the credit card company would do) to figure out just how long all that would take to pay off. The slides above show the 10 states where paying off the debt is the toughest. *"Sixteen Tons" lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc. READ MORE: Stress from debt affects not just health but cognitive functions 10 worst cities for paying down debt Wiping out student debt helps everyone win, says Sanders's economist