The unchartered waters of the U.S. defaulting on its debt are closer than ever, with the ticking of the debt ceiling clock echoing louder each day. If you haven’t been in tune with the jargon-laden debt ceiling negotiations, it’s time to sit up and take note. The deadline looms on June 1st. By then, if Congress doesn’t act to raise the current $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, the U.S. might face an unprecedented inability to honor all of its financial obligations.

This prospective scenario of the U.S. defaulting on its debt has never materialized before, hence the ambiguity surrounding potential outcomes. But one thing financial experts are unanimous about is the potential severity of the fallout. We could be looking at a spectrum of consequences ranging from a “guaranteed recession” to a full-blown “global financial market meltdown.” The extent of the financial tremors will depend on the default duration, as noted by financial observers.

In terms of progress on the debt ceiling negotiations, the landscape seems far from promising. Although there seemed to be a glimmer of hope last week, the gap between the White House and Republicans in agreeing to raise the debt limit is still wide. Discussions continue, with the key point of contention being government spending levels.

Republicans want to tie a debt ceiling rise to a cut in nondefense federal spending, which includes potential social service cuts. Democrats have countered, arguing that Republicans are pushing the U.S. towards a precarious financial cliff to advance their cost-cutting proposals. The Democrats label the GOP’s proposal as “extreme” and “unacceptable,” stressing it puts food assistance for nearly a million Americans at risk. The White House’s offer to freeze domestic and defense spending next year as a compromise has been rejected by Republicans, who are insisting on reductions in nonmilitary spending.

Wall Street remains on tenterhooks over the outcome. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon expressed his belief that a default was “probably” off the table. However, he isn’t taking any chances and has set up a “war room” of top executives to plan for any contingencies. Market investors seem to lean towards Dimon’s view that a resolution will be reached before D-Day. On Friday, the implied probability of a default in the credit default swaps market stood at 3.6%, much lower than the 6.9% peak during the 2011 debt ceiling standoff.

In these uncertain times, financial prudence and staying abreast of these developments is key for investors and entrepreneurs alike. The hope is that the political brinkmanship won’t edge the U.S. into a financial chasm that could reverberate through the global economy.