Protect Borrowers: American Families Hit Record Levels of Financial Distress as Millions Fall Behind on Credit Cards, Auto Loans, and Student Loans

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) issued the following news release on May 12, 2026:

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American Families Hit Record Levels of Financial Distress as Millions Fall Behind on Credit Cards, Auto Loans, and Student Loans

New Data From FRBNY Shows Household Consumer Debts at All-Time Highs

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Today, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) published new data showing that the share of Americans behind on a range of household consumer debts reached all-time highs in the first quarter of 2026. As the nation hurdles toward an historical record of $19 trillion in total household debt, Americans saw the highest rates of auto loan delinquency that FRBNY has ever recorded, rates of credit card delinquency near those last seen at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, and student loan delinquency at its worst since before the COVID-era payment pause.

Additional FRBNY research released today shows that delinquent borrowers are likely to be behind on more than one type of loan at once, a sign that consumers are caught in a perfect storm of financial strain as prices rise and savings thin.

"Working families are at a breaking point and desperately need relief. Instead, President Trump is bragging about his plans for a new White House ballroom while his head economist touts families' surging debts as a sign of a booming economy," said Protect Borrowers Executive Director Mike Pierce. "These numbers tell the real story: Trump's economy has driven up costs, his Administration has failed to address--and in many cases, worsened--an historic cost-of-living crisis that is crushing everyday Americans under stagnant wages and rampant price-gouging by grocery conglomerates, data centers, corporate landlords, and private equity firms. Making matters worse, Trump's war with Iran is pushing inflation to record levels and forcing Americans to feel the economic pain at the pump. It is clear that President Trump is not only failing to 'Make America Affordable Again' but is actively pushing millions of families further into the red."

According to the FRBNY, Americans have taken on an additional $18 billion in household debt since the final quarter of 2025. Americans now owe $591 billion more than they did in the first quarter of 2025, bringing total household debt to an all-time high of $18.8 trillion.

While families took on more debt, they also fell behind. Credit card delinquency rates are now the highest they have been in 16 years (13.1 percent). Overall student loan delinquency rates soared to 10.3 percent, the highest recorded since 2020. Significantly more student loan borrowers are also entering serious delinquency, with their loans more than 90 days past due (10.9 percent) compared to the first quarter of 2025 (8.0 percent). In fact, delinquency rates have increased for all credit types tracked by the FRBNY since the final quarter of 2025.

View the Fed's new data here: https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc

View additional analysis the Fed conducted on federal student loan defaults here: Federal Student Loan Defaults Return After Pandemic Pause

Further Reading

* May 2026, Protect Borrowers and The Century Foundation (TCF) report and fact sheet on how rising auto loan costs and debt are driving Americans deeper into the red: When the Wheels Come Off: How Surging Auto Loan Debt Is Hurting Households

* March 2026, Protect Borrowers and TCF report on the credit card debt crisis: Interest Nation: The State of America's Credit Card Debt Crisis and related Substack

* March 2026, Protect Borrowers letter to CFPB warning of Bilt 2.0 risks: Following Reports of "Bilt Card 2.0" Meltdown, Advocates Call on the Trump CFPB to Protect Borrowers, Warn Congress of Risks to Renters and related Substack

* March 2026 Protect Borrowers and Groundwork Collaborative poll on credit card interest rates: Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Prioritize Lower Credit Card Interest Rates Over Perks and Easy Approval

* Feb. 2026 Protect Borrowers and Towards Justice investigation on Rent Now, Pay Later: Rent Now, Pain Later: How "Rent Now, Pay Later" Loans Put Working People at Risk

* Feb. 2026 Protect Borrowers and AFT survey findings on member financial instability: Vast Majority of Working Families Live Paycheck-To-Paycheck and Growing Number Rely on Debt to Afford Essentials, AFT Member Survey Finds

* Feb. 2026 Protect Borrowers and TCF report on student loan delinquency: Student Loan Delinquency Spikes to Record 25% Under Trump, Destroying Credit Scores and Locking Millions Out of Economy

* Jan. 2026 Mike Pierce Substack on Trump's CFPB finding on credit card bank profits from customer charges: Even Trump's Own Wall Street Watchdog Admits Working People are Getting Slammed By Credit Card Interest and Fees

* Jan. 2026 Protect Borrowers analysis on student loan default: New Analysis Finds That a Student Loan Borrower Defaulted Every Nine Seconds in 2025, as Trump Restarts Wage Garnishment

* Nov. 2025 Protect Borrowers and TCF data analysis exposing severe utility debt: 14 Million Americans Face Severely Delinquent Utility Debt Due to Rising Energy Costs, Putting Families At Risk Ahead of Winter

* Oct. 2025 Mike Pierce Substack on gambling debt and sports betting: Online Prop Betting is Ruining Professional Sports

* Sept. 2025 poll on how Americans depend on debt and credit to stay afloat: American Families Are Trapped in a Cycle of Debt, More Rely on Credit to Cover Rent, Utility Bills, Basic Necessities and related Substack

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About Protect Borrowers

Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn't limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.

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Original text here: https://protectborrowers.org/american-families-hit-record-levels-of-financial-distress-as-millions-fall-behind/