I think I understand what you are saying but in macroeconomics it's usually stated the other way. On the aggregate debt and financial instruments net to zero. One person's debt is another person's saving and if you add all financials up, you get zero (or depending on what you are counting, you get the value of the physical assets behind the financial assets such as stuff, factories etc. On the other hand, for sub parts of the economy or for individuals there can be positive or negative financial equity or debt meaning some individuals or parts of the economy owe are are owed more than others.