Statistics are tricky things. They can be massaged and repurposed to say just about anything to support…well…just about anything. As Mark Twain has it, “Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable.”

We remember this as we come to grips with the statistics that say the economy is improving. And yet our MortgageKeeper data and that of others says there are still many Americans struggling financially.

An article we saw recently helps to explain why this could be. Phil Baldwin CEO for CredAbility is quoted on DSNews.com: “The jump in Social Security taxes in January forced people to save and spend less compared to the previous quarter. With nearly 49 million people on food stamps and almost 12 million still unemployed, there are still a lot of challenges facing many families.”

So while signs of recovery are certainly greeted with a collective sigh of relief, the work for struggling homeowners must continue.