Total liabilities are generally broken down into three categories: short-term, long-term, and other liabilities. Total liabilities plus equity must equal total assets on a company's balance sheet.

Other liabilities have a lower interest rate and therefore are not as critical. Purchasing an education, a car, or your first home before you can afford to pay cash may have some advantage.

Liabilities are debts owed, or other financial obligations. People have liabilities, as do most investment entities such as funds, partnerships, and corporations.

Other liabilities, like student loans and credit card debt, are more open-ended. If you keep adding more to your balance, or make only minimal regular payments, your liabilities may continue to grow.

Other current liabilities -- $6.474 billion; Total -- $28.234 billion; There's not a ton to take away from this information all by itself.

A balance sheet shows a company's assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity at that point in time. Learn how they work, how to read one, and why they're important.