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Study: Nearly half of Americans with major debt are falling behind on payments
The survey found 60% of respondents want lower stress and many are cutting spending or using retirement savings to manage debt.
- Nearly half of Americans with significant debt are only making minimum payments or have fallen behind, according to a Freedom Debt Relief and Money study of 1,800 adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt.
- Federal Reserve researchers reported Friday that families behind on loan payments soared to nearly 20% by the end of 2025, a 67% increase from the prior survey and levels unseen since the financial crisis.
- To manage their obligations, 41% have stopped dining out and 40% have cut back on nonessential online shopping, showing households are making significant sacrifices despite seeking stress relief.
- Families with payment-to-income ratios exceeding 40% jumped to 8.6%, the highest level since 2013, as 60% of debtors prioritize stress reduction over finding the cheapest solution.
- Researchers found that while wealth disparities narrowed slightly, the ability to meet debt payments deteriorated significantly, with nearly one-third withdrawing retirement funds within the past year to manage current debt.
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12 Articles
12 Articles
The share of U.S. families with credit arrears has risen sharply over the past three years, reaching the highest level in 2010, when the U.S. economy began to recover from the global financial crisis.
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Total News Sources12
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution90% Center
Bias Distribution
- 90% of the sources are Center
90% Center
C 90%
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