In the unlikely case the U.S. defaults on its debt, the consequences will be far-reaching. Here are 5 ways a U.S. debt default would impact your wallet.

The illusion that the global economy could effortlessly add trillions in debt to fund living large forever was based on a brief historical anomaly of zero interest rates enabled by low inflation that was never sustainable and the eventual consequences on supply, demand, risk and price discovery are finally visible.

The next downward move in stocks will have central banks running to the rescue. Virtually every country will need to go negative with interest rates which will set off a chain of events that will change the world and the global financial systems. Here’s the playbook on how I believe this will all play out:

The Fed, together with other central banks from around the world, have created the perfect crescendo of worldwide credit bubbles and asset bubbles leading to the excesses and decadence which are the normal finale to a secular trend. They have totally destroyed all major world currencies and left the world with debts that cannot and will not be repaid with normal money. As such, there are only two alternative outcomes, debt default or hyperinflation. Both will have disastrous consequences for the world economy.

The U.S. government pays the interest by issuing new debt but that new debt increases total debt and (eventually) drives up interest rates, which requires more borrowing to pay the annual interest payments. Another year older and deeper in debt! A reset will occur when the debt load becomes too heavy.

Economic activity in Venezuela will fall 10% in 2016 – not 8% as previously stated - according to the IMF. General Mills, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Kimberly-Clark, Aeromexico, Lufthansa and LATAM Airlines have all suspended operations there in the past year. Upcoming debt payments are significant, and the country will most likely default as early as November of this year and no later than April of next year. International reserves are simply insufficient at a time when oil production declines and the economy contracts. Two questions in the air: Will China save Venezuela? Will it demand Maduro step down?

There is a crucial component of the investment process that gets surprisingly little attention: our investment default settings. We can use them when we aren’t sure what to do, when we’re deciding what to do, when our circumstances have changed but our plan hasn’t (yet), or when we’re just starting out. Here they are.

Gold generally rises with uncertainty and desperation - two things in no short supply right now in Europe - yet gold can’t even make it back above the psychologically important $1,200-an-ounce mark. Why is that? Here's why.

True, the markets are nervous, but there is virtually no sign that an unpleasant resolution to the Greek crisis presents any threat to financial markets or even the Eurozone economy. Here's why.

Recession, currency devaluation, hyperinflation and social unrest are all distinct possibilities if Argentina does not reach a settlement with the holdouts in the near future. Below are more insights into Argentina's latest debt default.