Gen X’s Student-Loan Burden Is Squeezing Household Finances and Raising...
A growing share of middle-aged consumers are falling behind on student-loan payments, creating ripple effects across auto loans, credit cards, and personal debt portfolios, according to a pair of...
View ArticleInflation Fears Rise While Lower-Income Borrowers Struggle to Stay Current
Consumers are expecting higher inflation and feeling less confident about their jobs while early signs are starting to show those pressures are already surfacing in loan performance. New data from the...
View ArticleConsumers Warm to AI, But Still Worry About Control, Privacy, and Jobs
Artificial intelligence is officially mainstream. According to Visa’s latest American Mood Trend report, more than 20% of U.S. consumers who use generative AI now do so daily, a clear sign that tools...
View ArticleAmericans’ Paychecks Still Lag Behind Rising Costs
More than six in 10 American workers say their paychecks have not kept up with rising household costs over the past year, the highest share in four years, according to Bankrate’s latest Pay Raise...
View ArticleUtility Bills Rise as AI Boom and Energy Demand Drive Costs Higher
Consumers are beginning to feel renewed pressure on their monthly utility bills, according to new data from the Bank of America Institute. The average payment for electricity and gas rose 3.6%...
View ArticleConsumer Advocacy Pushes States to Rein In Earned Wage Access, Payday Lenders
The Center for Responsible Lending is warning state and federal officials that payday loan apps, often marketed as “earned wage access” products, are trapping consumers in the same cycle of debt as...
View ArticleVoters Agree: Healthcare Costs Are Driving Medical Debt, And They Want States...
A new national study sponsored by Undue Medical Debt paints a clear picture for revenue cycle leaders and collections professionals: healthcare is widely viewed as unaffordable, medical debt is common,...
View ArticlePRA Group Reports 3Q Loss Amid Strong Collections and Cost Reductions
PRA Group reported a $408 million net loss for the third quarter of 2025, driven by a $413 million noncash goodwill impairment related to historical European acquisitions. Despite the headline loss,...
View ArticleMiddle-Class Americans Are Stretched Thin But Still Saving for Retirement,...
Despite economic uncertainty, rising debt, and caregiving demands, America’s middle class remains committed to saving for the future, according to the 25th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey:...
View ArticleHousehold Debt Climbs, But Liquidity Cushion Still Looks Solid
Total household debt rose to $18.59 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, according to data released yesterday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and WalletHub. On a per-household basis, balances...
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