Friday, April 19, 2024
HomeDebtDebt Of Average American

Debt Of Average American

Whats The Average Interest Rate On Peoples Credit Cards What About Those Who Carry A Balance What About New Credit Card Offers

Student debt holding Americans back from wealth, even high-earning millennials

For all credit cards, the average APR in the second quarter of 2022 was 15.13%.

For cards accruing interest, the average in the second quarter of 2022 was 16.65%.

For new credit card offers, the average today is 21.59% the highest rate weve seen since we began tracking rates monthly in 2019.

Average APRs for current credit card accounts and new card offers
Average APR for new credit card offers 21.59%
Average APR for all accounts that accrue interest 16.65%

The Federal Reserves G.19 consumer credit report showed that the average APR for all current credit card accounts jumped in the second quarter of 2022, up from 14.56% in the first quarter. Meanwhile, APRs for cards accruing interest rose to 16.65%, up from 16.17% in the first quarter.

If youre planning to get a new credit card, your interest rate will likely be higher than those listed above. The latest LendingTree data on credit card APRs shows that the average APR with a new credit card offer is 21.59%, with the average card offering an APR range of 18.04% to 25.14%, with your rate varying based on your creditworthiness. Those rates have risen significantly in recent months, thanks to the Federal Reserves announcement of interest rate hikes in March, May, June and July. The Fed will likely do the same in September and perhaps more in 2022. When this happens, cardholders should expect to see their cards APRs rise in the next billing cycle or two as a result.

Average Debt To Income Ratios

Debt to income ratio is a key indicator of financial health. Its determined by taking you monthly expenditures and dividing that number by your monthly income.

For instance, if your bills amount to $5,000 a month and you make $7,500 a month, your DTI is 66%. It also means you are dire need of financial overhaul.

The maximum DTI you can have to qualify for a mortgage is usually 43%. Most financial advisors recommend keeping your DTI at 30% or lower.

Overall, DTIs have risen over the years. A 2018 Federal Reserve report showed a slow but steady rise from 1980s, then a sharp increase during the housing boom of the early 2000s.

It dropped with financial crisis of 2008, which indicated many households cut consumption or defaulted on loans.

The median household income hit $79,900 in the first quarter of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Thats almost $35,000 more than it was in 2000.

But the typical American household now carries an average debt of $145,000. The median debt was only $50,971 in 2000.

Year-to-year DTI statistics are hard to come by, but given the rise of debt versus the rise in income, its apparent that Americans in all demographic groups have higher debt-to-income ratios.

What Is The Average Debt By Generation

The amount of debt Americans carry also varies depending on their age. Debt levels are typically at their highest in middle age and begin to go down as people near retirement.

Here are average debt amounts broken down by generation, according to Experian.

Gen Z

The average Gen Z American has $16,043 of consumer debt. Gen Zers have had less time to take out loans and credit cards, so their average debt is the lowest of all adult generations. Because Gen Zers are college age, they mainly owe money in student loans and credit card balances.

Millennials

The average millennial carries $87,448 in consumer debt. Most millennials have entered the workforce, and many have purchased their first home. The average mortgage balance for a millennial is $237,349.

Gen X

The average Gen Xer has $140,643 of consumer debt. This age group carries the highest amount of debtnearly 50 percent more than the average American.

Baby boomers

Baby boomers are either nearing retirement or have already retired. The average baby boomer has $97,290 of consumer debt. In this age group, debt levels begin to decline.

Silent Generation

Most Americans in the Silent Generation are retired. However, they still have an average debt of $41,281.

How does your debt level compare to others in your generation? If you owe more than the average for your age group, or find that your debt is increasing each month, you might want to consider a debt repayment plan.

Read Also: How To File Bankruptcy Chapter 7 Yourself In Oregon

How Much Student Loan Debt Does The Average 30 Year Old Have

Similarly in 2016, 60.4% of students ages 24 to 29 accumulated an average of $ 11,030 in an academic loan. 62.3% of students 30 years of age or older have accumulated an average of $ 10,940 in loans. Adults between the ages of 30 and 45 owe almost half of all student loans.

How much student loan debt does the average person have?

The average college debt among student creditors in the United States is $ 32,731, according to the Federal Reserve. This is an increase of almost 20 percent from 2015-2016. Most lenders have between $ 25,000 and $ 50,000 in student loans.

At what age do most pay off student loans?

The average student loan takes 20 years to pay off their student loans.

  • Some undergraduate graduates take over 45 years to repay their student loans.
  • 21% of lenders see a student loan amount increase in the first 5 years of their loan.

Average Credit Card Debt In America: 2021

Average Student Loan Debt in the U.S.

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the authors opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Citi is an advertising partner.

Our researchers found the median debt per American family to be $2,700, while the average debt stands at $6,270. The average balance for consumers is $5,315, although some of that debt may be held on joint cards and thus double-counted. Overall, Americans owe $807 billionacross almost 506 million card accounts. Below, you’ll find some of the most prominent trends that emerged.

Recommended Reading: How To Claim Bankruptcy And Keep Your Car

Average Mortgage And Heloc Debt In 2020

Figure
Average HELOC value, $49,929

Mortgage debt makes up the vast majority of American consumer debt at about 69%. That number has risen consistently since mid-2013. If we keep going at this rate, we’ll hit $10 trillion of mortgage debt in a year or so.

So how much mortgage debt does the average American have? In their 2020 State of Credit Report, Experian reports that the average mortgage debt among Americans is $215,655.

That’s slightly higher than the number in Experian’s 2019 report: $213,599.

Millennials : Current Age 24 To 40

People who fit in the millennial generation were born between the years 1981 and 1997.

  • Total credit card debt: This generation carries an average of $4,315 in credit card debt per person, the fourth-highest amount among five generations, according to Shift Processing.
  • Retail credit card debt: On average, their retail credit card debt is $1,871, according to Experian.
  • Mortgage debt: Millennials hold an average mortgage debt of $232,372, according to Experian.
  • Total non-mortgage loan debt: They owe an average non-mortgage debt of $27,251, according to Experian.
  • Student loan debt: The federal student loan average balance per borrower for people ages 35 to 49 is $42,373.23. People ages 25 to 34 owe an average of $33,817.56, according to the Federal Student Aid report.
  • Auto loan debt: Millennials who carry a car loan balance owe an average of $16,658, according to LendingTree.

Millennials average credit card debt by exact age is:

Similar to Gen X, millennials average credit card debt increases with age.

Don’t Miss: Buy House In Foreclosure

What Is The Percentage Of 25 Year Olds Who Hold Student Debt

Student Debt Age 17.7% of people with student loan disabilities are under the age of 25. 68.6% of student lenders are between the ages of 25 and 50. 34% of adults aged 18 to 29 years have student loans, which makes them more than double as adults in each age group to get student loans.

What percent of adults have student debt?

What Percentage of American Students Has Student Credit? By 2020, nearly 30% of all major Americans are already in debt to students, according to the Fed. 1ï »¿This figure highlights the importance of growing a college degree to get a well-paid job. It also reflects the rising cost of college.

How much student debt does the average 25 year old have?

24-year-old federal borrowers owe an average of $ 14,434. Federal debt among 24-year-old borrowers has fallen 3.6% since 2017. Federal borrowers aged 25 to 34 owe an average debt of $ 33,570.

Average Credit Card Debt In 2020

Average Debt By Age | Average Debt In America
Figure
Delinquency rate of all credit card loans from commercial banks, Q2 2020 2.42%

According to the latest Household Debt and Credit survey results from the New York Fed, Americans owe $807 billion in credit card debt as of Q3 2020. That’s down from $881 billion in Q3 2019 and $817 billion in the second quarter of 2020.

This could be because Americans are spending a bit more conservatively with their than they were before the pandemic.

“Consumers tightened their belts in 2020, leading them to carry less revolving debt and focus on paying their credit card bills on time every month,” says Melinda Opperman, President of , a nonprofit HUD-approved housing and nationwide consumer credit counseling organization headquartered in Riverside, California.

“But those encouraging numbers are ironically a sign of financial instability struggling families are cutting back wherever they can as we all brace for the fallout when foreclosure and eviction moratoriums end.”

So what does that mean for individual credit card holders?

According to Experian’s Oct. 20 report, Americans have an average of $5,897 in credit card debt spread over three cards. Americans also have 2.4 store credit cards, on average, with a total balance of $2,044.

Don’t Miss: What Are 4 Advantages Of Filing Bankruptcy

Strategies For Paying Down Credit Card Debt

If you’re carrying a balance on your credit card, you’d be wise to make paying it down a top priority, says Rossman. “If you’re near the average rate of 18%, think of every dollar you spend on that debt as an 18% guaranteed risk-free, tax-free return on your investment,” he says.

The most straightforward way to find extra money to put toward your debt is to either spend less or earn more. But that’s easier said than done.

Beyond that, consider these three strategies to help ease the burden of paying down high-interest debt at a time when both expenses and rates are headed upward.

The Average American Student Is $28k In Debt Here’s What Parents Can Do To Help

The cost of college is already sky-high and its only going higher.

For the class of 2020, that meant when they accepted their diplomas, they also received a bill for an average of $28,400 for their student loans, according to analysis from LendingTree.

Don’t miss from MoneyWise

A 529 plan offers a way to head off college debt by giving families a tax-advantaged way to save and invest for college, or even pay some costs in advance.

You have lots of 529 choices. Here’s what you need to know to pick the right plan.

You May Like: Which Type Of Debt Cannot Be Discharged Through Bankruptcy

Pay Off Your Debt With The Debt Snowball Method

Next, pay off all nonmortgage debt from smallest to largest with the debt snowball method. Dont argue with our math and ask about interest rates. The point of the debt snowball method is momentum and motivation. You pay the minimum payment on all debts except the smallestthats the one you go after hard.

When its out of the way, you put all the money you were throwing at it onto the next-smallest debt. Repeat until youre debt-free. Youll get quick wins all along the way. And those quick wins will keep you moving.

Use our Debt Snowball Calculator to see how its done.

How To Deal With Too Much Debt

American Debt Statistics [ Updated April 2020] Shift Processing

Between the warning signs and the debt-income-ratio, hopefully youll come up with an answer to the question of how much debt is too much debt for you.

If your DTI is below 35% and no red warning flags are waving, congratulations! But if you determine your debt is too much, it raises an even more important question: What are you going to do about it?

The simple solution is to make more money, cut expenses or both. It takes dedication and a display of personal responsibility, but it also takes a plan.

Write down all your expenses and see where you can cut back. The devilish thing about unsecured debt is that the less you pay on those bills each month, the more youll eventually pay in interest charges.

One way to combat that is to get the lowest interest rate possible. A lot of consumers have turned to debt management programs, where a credit counselor helps you consolidate payments and lower interest rates on credit cards.

The counselor also helps you design a budget that with expenses you can afford and simultaneously helps get rid of your debt.

The Great American Debt Mountain isnt getting any smaller, but theres no law saying you have to help it grow.

Read Also: How To File Bankruptcy In Va

Debt Attitudes From Boom To Bust

People of this generation lived through the Roaring Twenties when money was fluid and borrowing was easy, and then through the Great Depression when 9,000 banks went belly up in the 1930s.

As consumer purchasing power declined and hardships intensified, people in The Greatest Generation lost so much trust in the banking system that the Emergency Banking Act of 1933 was passed to stabilize and restore confidence.

The Majority Of States Saw Debt Increase By As Much As 59%

Debt decreased in certain states but increased in others by as much as 5.9%. Among the states that saw a rise, only two showed growth that was in line with the national average . The rest had growth of at least 0.6%, with several seeing growth of more than 1%.

On the opposite end of the scale, consumers in 15 states and Washington, D.C. saw their average debt balances decrease. The majority of states with declining balances reported a reduction of 1% or more.

You May Like: Who Pays For Chapter 11 Bankruptcies

What Constitutes Credit Card Debt

Lets start with the two phrases in the question. First, what is credit card debt? Credit card debt might include all purchases made on credit cards plus interest added on any given day of the year. This begs the question, should you include purchases that the cardholder pays off in full with their next credit card bill? Is any balance on a credit card debt, or does credit card debt only include balances that are not paid in full by the end of the billing cycle?

Personally, I believe purchases paid in full by the next payment due date are still debts. You owe the money regardless of whether you carry the balance or whether you will be charged interest. I consider this type of debt to be practical debt. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, all credit card debts totaled over $856 Billion by late 2021.

That said, it makes sense to exclude the $499 Billions of this type of practical debt from the statistics since there is technically no payment due on it nor interest owed yet. Using this larger figure creates the impression that Americans carry more debt than they actually do.

The $357 Billion of credit card debt identified by NerdWallet includes only the amount of credit card debt that is carried from one bill to the next, meaning it also excludes practical debt.

How Much Credit Debt Does The Average Person Have

Money Matters: Average debt for American adults

On average, Americans charge $ 6,194 in credit card debt, according to the 2019 Experian Consumer Credit Review. And Alaska has the highest credit card balance, at an average of $ 8,026.

How much credit card debt does the average person carry?

The average credit card holder in the United States is $ 5,668 in credit card debt in Q2 2021 â that is 1% above the average $ 5,611 of Q1 2021. From the beginning of Q1 2020 to Q2 2021, the average credit card debt of each cardholder decreased by $ 766 or 12%. The average cardholder has $ 6,434 in Q1 2020.

How much is considered a lot of credit card debt?

Total amount of money
$ 6,000

You May Like: How To File Bankruptcy On A Student Loan

Generation Z: Current Age 11 To 23

People who fit into Generation Z were born between the years 1998 and 2010.

As to be expected, people who are under the age of 18 are not typically included in debt surveys and reports because, as minors, they cannot enter contracts for credit cards and loans. However, there is data for this generation, typically starting when they reach adulthood in the eyes of the law.

  • Total credit card debt: Generation Z carries an average of $2,047 in total credit card debt per person, the lowest among five generations, according to Shift Processing.
  • Retail credit card debt: On average, their retail credit card debt is $1,124, according to Experian.
  • Mortgage debt: Gen Z holds an average mortgage debt of $172,561, according to Experian.
  • Total non-mortgage loan debt: They owe an average non-mortgage debt of $10,942, according to Experian.
  • Student loan debt: The federal student loan average balance per borrower for people who are 24 and younger is $14,807.69, according to the Federal Student Aid report.
  • Auto loan debt: Generation Z borrowers who carry a car loan balance owe an average of $14.620, according to LendingTree.

Gen Zs average credit card debt by exact age is:

No debt information has been reported for people who are under the age of 20.

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Articles