Here’s a breakdown of the final version of the bill that has now officially passed the Senate, and what it means for borrowers, students, and college-bound families. (Photo: J. David Ake via Getty Images) https://t.co/DFjpLsEBNa https://t.co/XE1LoUYSEW ...

Here’s a breakdown of the final version of the bill that has now officially passed the Senate, and what it means for borrowers, students, and college-bound families. (Photo: J. David Ake via Getty Images) https://t.co/0uriYGcYos https://t.co/a3ebWOx5cV ...

Here’s a breakdown of the final version of the bill that has now officially passed the Senate, and what it means for borrowers, students, and college-bound families. (Photo: J. David Ake via Getty Images) https://t.co/VctEjTqWX8 https://t.co/LdU9KtLSuN ...

Consumer Debt Overview - US household debt reached a record high of $18.2 trillion in Q1 2025 [1] - Consumer debt includes credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, student loans, and buy now pay later plans [1] - High consumer debt can lead to defaults, impacting the entire economy [1] Credit Card Debt - Americans owed over $1.08 trillion on credit cards as of Q1 2025, a 50% increase since 2021 [1] - The typical cardholder with a balance owes over $7,300 [1] - Over 3% of credit card balances were at least 30 days delinquent as of Q1 2025 [1] - Retail credit cards can have interest rates as high as 36% [1] Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) - BNPL services allow consumers to pay for purchases in installments [2] - BNPL debt pile could reach $700 billion by 2028 [2] - Over 40% of BNPL users have missed at least one payment [2] - Late fees for BNPL can be up to 50% of the payment amount [2] Mortgage Debt - Americans owe $12.8 trillion on 85 million mortgages [2] - The average borrower owes just under $150,000, and the typical home price is around $510,000 [2] - Mortgage rates have climbed to around 7%, the highest in over 20 years [2] - 0.7% of mortgages are seriously delinquent (90+ days past due) [3] Student Loan Debt - Americans owe nearly $1.08 trillion in student loans [3] - The average federal borrower owes more than $38,000 [3] - Over 20% of borrowers are 90 days or more past due [3] - The Biden administration cancelled more than $180 billion in loans for select groups [3] Economic Impact - Americans spend over $560 billion a year on interest payments [3] - Americans collectively work 18 billion hours a year to service interest on debts [4] - Consumer spending makes up nearly 70% of US GDP [4]

Wealth anchor Brad Smith breaks down the latest financial news for June 11, 2025. Alger Executive Vice President and Portfolio Manager Amy Zhang discusses how to play the small and mid-cap stock trades and why she believes there are opportunities here. Food prices rose in May. Stew Leonard's CEO joins Brad to discuss how to save money on groceries this summer. Author and student loan expert Mark Kantrowitz speaks with Brad about how President Trump's "Big, Beautiful" tax and spending bill could impact stude ...

Consumer Credit & Spending - Vantage Score data indicates consumers are shifting from cautious behavior to net borrowers, increasing credit consumption unexpectedly [2] - Consumer credit utilization is increasing, particularly in auto loans, driven by expectations of tariff-related price increases [2][4][7] - Overall, the consumer is resilient, with average credit balances remaining relatively stable and delinquencies moderate on a historical basis [3][4] - The percentage of super prime consumers (Vantage score 780 and above) increased in April, indicating high-quality credit [4] Auto Loans - Auto loan borrowing surged in April, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, with growth rates not seen since January 2020 [7][8] - Consumers are anticipating tariffs of 50-100% on cars, leading them to purchase vehicles before prices increase [7] Student Loans - The resumption of student loan payments initially caused the average Vantage score to drop by 1 percentage point in February [8] - Consumers reacted positively to the resumption of student loan reporting, making timely payments and improving their credit scores, bringing the average Vantage score back to 702 [9] Economic Outlook & Risks - A weakening employment picture combined with increased credit utilization would be a negative sign for the economy [6] - The Fed's decision to hold steady on interest rates means consumers will continue to face relatively elevated interest payments [10][11] - High interest rates may lead to fewer consumers taking out new mortgages or maxing out credit cards, resulting in lower credit utilization [11] - The Fed is concerned about the potential inflationary impact of increased pricing, partly related to tariffs, and is waiting to see the results before making any sudden movements [12]