Eighty-five percent (85%) of Americans say they are concerned about the possibility of inflation in the current economy, with 55% Very Concerned, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Just 11% say they are not very or not at all concerned about the prospect of rising prices. These numbers are identical to findings last August, despite the high level of government spending President Obama has announced in recent months.

Credit remains tight in the country, and the government plans to print more money. Both are generally considered key factors that lead to inflation. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a speech today, however, that he is confident the Fed can prevent inflation from happening.

Eighty-four percent (84%) of Americans say they are paying more for groceries now than they were a year ago, and 66% expect to pay even more 12 months from now.

The Federal Reserve has given no indication that it intends to raise interest rates to combat the possibility of inflation, but 34% of Americans think they will be paying higher interest rates a year from now. Twelve percent (12%) say interest rates will be lower, and 45% say there will be no change.

Forty-three percent (43%) also say there has been no change from a year ago in the interest rates they now pay. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say they pay more now, while 25% say they are paying less.

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Still, a plurality of adults (48%) say they will owe less money a year from now than they do today.

Women (91%) are more concerned about inflation than men (79%). But there is a uniformly high level of concern across all age and income groups. Investors and non-investors have the same level of concern about inflation.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) of non-investors say the interest rates they are paying now are higher than they were a year ago, but just 18% of investors agree. Just over one-third of both groups expect to be paying more 12 months from now.

Democrats, undoubtedly more optimistic about the economic policies of the Obama administration, are less worried about rising interest rates in the next year. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Republicans and 40% of those not affiliated with either major party think they will be paying higher interest rates in the months ahead, compared to 28% of Democrats.

Lower-income earners are far more likely to say they are paying more in interest now than a year ago but also are more likely to pay more a year from now.

The Discover Consumer Spending Monitor for March found that 21.3% of Americans said they were carrying more debt than six months ago, but 29.4% were carrying less. Fifteen percent (15%) expected their debt level to be higher six months from now, while 34.5% said it will be lower.

But most adults (51%) fear Congress will make it harder for some people to get approved for new credit cards if it forces credit card companies to reduce the interest they charge.

Just 54% of U.S. homeowners say their house is worth more than the amount they still owe on their mortgage, down seven points since December.

The Rasmussen Consumer and Investor Indexes fell for the second day in a row on Tuesday but is still up slightly from the beginning of the year.

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