Professional Analysis of Debt Relief Trends

Delinquency rates are still near historical lows. The average delinquency rate given that the Fed began tracking in 1991 is 3.69%, while the average since 2000 is 3.43%. Existing delinquency rates likewise stay well below Great Recession levels, when they peaked at almost 7% in 2009 and remained above 5% for practically two years.

A new report from The Century Structure (TCF) and Secure Customers exposes the shocking effect of President Donald Trump's affordability crisis on Americans' financial resources, as an analysis of customer credit information reveals that approximately half of active cardholders and 40 percent of U.S. adults are not able to pay their credit card costs completely and bring a balance from month to month.

Of that group, more than 27 million Americans can only afford the minimum payment monthly. The report in addition discovers that Americans have actually paid a record-setting amount of interest as an outcome of credit card banks doubling their revenue margins over the last 20 years. Americans have actually paid a cumulative total of $2.1 trillion in credit card interest since 2010, which is more than the overall amount of exceptional trainee financial obligation, and the total amount of car loan financial obligation, owed at the end of 2025.

" In spite of promising to lower expenses 'on day one', Donald Trump is forcing Americans to pay more on everything from groceries to energies to healthcare and kid care. Families are falling further behind on their expenses with credit card delinquencies at their highest rate in more than a decade," "Donald Trump could work with Congress to provide on his pledge to cap credit card rates of interest at 10% saving the typical American with charge card financial obligation about $900 a year.

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" Banks have used rate of interest to pad their bottom line while 40 percent of Americans can't keep up with their credit card costs. We need our leaders to stroll the walk when it pertains to reining in these enormous banks and companies, not just talk the talk." "Grocery, energy, and health care bills are accumulating, and Americans are increasingly turning to credit cardssome carrying rate of interest surpassing 22 percentjust to make ends meet," "President Trump guaranteed to take on crushing charge card rates of interest by January 20 of this year, but that due date has come and gone.

Indiscriminate tariffs and unchecked business greed have raised the expense of whatever from groceries to clothes to utility bills, and the administration's signature legislative proposition focused not on lowering costs, but rather on lavishing generous tax cuts on big organizations and the wealthiest Americans. Earlier this year, in an attempt to stem his self-created price crisis, Trump guaranteed that by January 20, he would cap credit card rates of interest at 10% for one year, but more than a month past his self-imposed deadline, has failed to do soand failed to address credit card interest at his prolonged State of the Union address.

Even more, the Trump-controlled Customer Financial Security Bureau (CFPB) has actually allowed the nation's biggest banks to continue charging Americans big charge card late costs that tally more than $17 billion yearly, according to the CFPB's own December 2025 report. The joint TCF/Protect Debtors analysis uncovers further troubling trends behind Americans' increasing dependence on high-interest credit cards.

Debtors of color are also disproportionately falling behind, exposed to inflated rates of interest, and most likely to be required to turn to alternative and more predatory sources of credit. ### (previously Student Customer Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a group of professionals, lawyers, and supporters battling to build an economy where debt does not limit chance.

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We intend to deliver instant relief to families while developing power, driving systemic change, and battling for racial and economic justice. Find out more at or follow us on social. The Century Structure (TCF) is a progressive, independent think tank that carries out research, develops services, and drives policy change to make people's lives much better.