Third Quarter 2025 Consumer Credit Trends Indicate Moderate Debt Growth for Auto and Student Loans ATLANTA, Nov. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax® (NYSE: EFX)Â has released its Market Pulse Third Quarter U.S. Consumer Credit Trends, which includes U.S. national consumer credit data and trends through September 2025 sourced from Equifax data. According to Equifax, delinquency on total U.S. consumer debt inched up to 1.562% in September, a slight increase from 1.517% at end of the second quarter in June 2025. ...

Group 1 - The total U.S. household debt reached $18.39 trillion in Q2, with housing debt increasing by $131 billion from Q1 and non-housing debt growing by over $51 billion [1] - A significant portion of Americans, approximately 71%, report that their monthly debt payments hinder their ability to save, while 17% feel their debt prevents future planning, and 18% find their debt overwhelming [3] - Reducing debt is a top financial priority for many Americans, with nearly one-third listing it as their top New Year's resolution, second only to saving more money, which 45% identified as their primary goal [4] Group 2 - Experts suggest that many Americans are not utilizing available strategies to reduce debt, despite the desire to do so [5] - Recommended debt-reducing tools include creating a budget, negotiating lower interest rates, and consolidating balances [6] - Working with nonprofit credit counselors can provide personalized assistance in managing budgets and developing repayment plans [7]

Market Overview - The equity market is currently disregarding the government shutdown, potentially viewing it as a positive factor, while also signaling a slowdown in the economy [1][13] - Major indexes closed at record highs for the week ending October 24th, with significant gains observed in October [1][13] Economic Indicators - The Federal Reserve's Beige Book indicates only 18% of the economy is growing, a decline from 43% in August and 100% at the end of the previous year [5][13] - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.3% in September, slightly above the consensus estimate, bringing the year-over-year increase to 3.0% [6][15] - Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, increased by 0.2%, also resulting in a 3.0% rise over the past year [6][15] Housing Market - Existing home sales increased by 4.1% in September compared to the previous year, but the annual rate remains significantly below pre-COVID levels [11][12] - The current level of existing home sales is nearly 40% lower than the cycle peak, approaching the worst levels seen during the Great Recession [12][14] - Median home prices have stagnated since Spring 2024, with expectations of home price deflation in the coming quarters due to rising inventory [12][14] Consumer Behavior - Consumer spending rose by 2.7% from April to August, despite a 1.2% decline in personal income during the same period, indicating reliance on savings drawdown [9][16] - Rising delinquencies in credit card and auto loans are early indicators of consumer distress, with mortgage delinquencies now exceeding levels seen during the COVID era [10][16] Future Outlook - The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates, with a potential 25-basis point reduction anticipated at the upcoming meeting [8] - The economic outlook remains cautious, with expectations of continued weakness in economic data influencing future monetary policy [8][16]

Core Insights - A viral TikTok video highlighted consumer frustration with aggressive sales tactics for store credit cards, particularly at T.J. Maxx, where employees pressured customers despite refusals [1][2][4]. Group 1: Consumer Experience - The TikTok user expressed her annoyance at being pressured to sign up for a store credit card, even after declining the offer, with a supervisor suggesting an $18 discount as an incentive [1][2]. - The video resonated with many viewers, indicating a widespread issue of similar experiences across various retail stores [2]. Group 2: Retail Strategy - Retailers heavily promote store-branded credit cards as they contribute significantly to profits, accounting for approximately 8% of total gross profits for major retailers from 2018 to 2023 [5]. - Store credit cards are designed to enhance customer loyalty, encouraging repeat visits and increased spending, which can lead to higher consumer debt levels [6]. Group 3: Consumer Debt - As of August 2025, U.S. credit card debt reached $1.2 trillion, highlighting the financial implications of aggressive credit card marketing strategies [7].

Consumer Concerns - The top concern for US consumers over the past year has been tariffs, with 25 million discussions recorded on the topic, and nearly 40% of mentions being negative, resulting in a 16 to 1 negative to positive ratio [3][4] - Spanish-speaking consumers have specific concerns regarding tariffs, particularly related to soy, beef, and sugar, which account for 15% of their discussions [7] Buying Patterns - Consumers are postponing purchases of appliances and furniture, indicating a shift in buying patterns due to economic pressures [6] - The holiday shopping season is approaching, and there is a mixed outlook; while some consumers may pull back on spending, there is also an increase in discussions about purchasing vehicles, which rose by 12% in the last month [11][12] Inflation and Medical Costs - Inflation is a secondary concern for US consumers, with medical care costs being the top issue related to inflation, closely tied to the tariff discussions [10] Labor Market and AI Concerns - Discussions around AI and its impact on employment are significant among younger adults, with over 12% of discussions from Gen Z and millennials expressing concerns that AI is harming their career prospects [15] - The unemployment rate has been a trending concern, although it has been decreasing since the beginning of the year [15]

The feds are lowering the leverage ratio at small banks so they extend more loans to juice consumer spending.With record-high consumer debt and delinquencies on the rise, it's fantastic that we're relaxing lending conditions even more.Lever it up. What could go wrong?FinancialJuice (@financialjuice):US regulators are poised to offer capital relief to community banks. ...

Economic Policy and Federal Reserve Actions - Senator Elizabeth Warren argues that the Federal Reserve had to cut interest rates to protect American jobs, indicating a weak job market despite inflation concerns [1] - The inflation rate is currently at 2.9%, down from a high of 9% under the Biden administration, but the job market shows signs of weakness with unemployment at 4.3% [1] - Consumer debt has increased by $4 trillion over the past six years, indicating that many families are struggling to make ends meet without borrowing [1] Impact of Tariffs and Healthcare Costs - The Trump administration's tariffs are driving up costs for American families, contributing to rising prices in groceries, utilities, and real estate [2][3] - The Republicans have cut healthcare access for 15 million Americans, which is expected to increase costs for those with health insurance as well [3] Economic Disparities - There is a growing divide in the economy, with significant gains for Wall Street and the wealthy, while many Americans are facing increased financial burdens [1] - The current economic policies are criticized for benefiting a small number of billionaires at the expense of the broader population [4]

Debt Struggles Across Income Levels - Data indicates that many Americans struggle with basic financial management, despite perceiving themselves as knowledgeable [2] - Debt issues affect Americans across all income levels, not just lower-income households [3] - A key factor is when interest expenses exceed affordability, leading to financial distress [3] Deteriorating Consumer Debt Situation - The percentage of people making credit card payments less than the minimum required increased to 13% in August, up from 8% in the spring [4] - The share of borrowers consolidating credit card debt into personal loans doubled to 8% [5] - Late payments are rising, including those more than 90 days late, indicating financial strain [5] Factors Contributing to Debt Problems - Worsening employment conditions, sustained high inflation, and high interest rates are key drivers of increasing debt struggles [5] - Even creditworthy borrowers are showing signs of financial strain due to across-the-board increases in late payments [6] Lending Market Response - Lenders are tightening lending standards for car loans, home loans, and other consumer loans [7] - Consumer demand for loans is decreasing [7] - A significant portion of consumers are paying as much as $1,000 per month for car loans [8] Lack of Budgeting - 62% of people making $100,000 or more do not have a budget [9] - 20% of people making $100,000 or more are worried about being able to make their payments [9] - Negative credit card behaviors are consistent across income levels [10]

Consumer Debt & Delinquency - US consumer debt in serious delinquency rose in the second quarter [1] - Delinquency rate reached the highest level since early 2020 [1] - The increase reflects a record surge in past-due student-loan debt [1]

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]