The mortgage debt service ratio in the United States increased slightly, after dipping to the lowest value on record in the beginning of 2021. The ratio measures the mortgage debt service payments as a percentage of disposable personal income during a specific quarter and shows the financial burden placed on households by mortgage borrowing. In the first quarter of 2023, the total required mortgage payments amounted to approximately 3.93 percent of disposable personal income - almost half of the mortgage debt service ratio before the subprime mortgage crisis broke out in 2007.

In the third quarter of 2022, households in the United States had, on average, 41,400 U.S. dollars of mortgage debt. That was the biggest component of their personal debt burden. The value per capita of car and student loans was much lower, but still contributed more to the level of household indebtedness than credit cards or HE revolving.

AFCC Debt Settlement operates in a substantial and rapidly growing market for debt settlement services. The global debt settlement market, valued at USD 388.4 million in 2025, is projected to reach USD XX billion by 2033, registering a CAGR of XX% during the forecast period. This growth is driven by increasing consumer debt levels, rising interest rates, and the proliferation of financial products. The market is segmented based on type (credit card loan, medical loan, private student loan, others), application (open-end loan, closed-end loan), and region (North America, South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific). Key industry players include Freedom Debt Relief, Rescue One Financial, National Debt Relief, ClearOne Advantage, and Century Support Services. Several factors contribute to the market's growth. Consumers are facing higher levels of debt due to factors such as job loss, medical expenses, and overspending. At the same time, interest rates are rising, making it more expensive for consumers to repay their debts. This has led to an increased demand for debt settlement services, which can help consumers reduce their debt burden and improve their financial health. Additionally, the increasing availability of financial products, such as credit cards and personal loans, has contributed to the growth of the market. These products can be helpful when used responsibly, but they can also lead to excessive debt if not managed properly. As a result, the demand for debt settlement services is expected to remain strong in the years to come.

According to a survey conducted in 2022, 28 percent of adults said that vocational training or other professional certification programs were definitely worth the price, more than other higher education institutions. Undergraduate education at private universities, for-profit, was perceived by adults as the least likely to be worth the price out of the other types. The student debt crisis In the United States, the amount of outstanding student loan debt has skyrocketed in the last few years, ultimately outpacing all other forms of household debt. As of the first quarter of 2024, Americans owed over 1.75 trillion U.S. dollars in student loans, likely influenced by increasing college tuition prices at a time of rising living costs and little wage growth. By the 2020/21 academic year, the average cost of attending a four-year postsecondary institution in the U.S. reached over 31,000 U.S. dollars, a price which may triple for Americans attending private and non-profit schools. In that same year, the average student debt for a bachelor's degree in totaled almost 35,000 U.S. dollars, depicting an increase in the amount of Americans taking on larger debts to attend higher education - an agreement which ultimately leads to an even greater outstanding balance from accrued interest. Despite a three-and-a-half-year pause on monthly student loan payments during the COVID-19 pandemic which aimed to alleviate the economic burden faced by over 45 million borrowers, most Americans still struggle to afford these payments. Cutting out college costs As the cost of college - and the resulting student debt - remains on the rise in the U.S., more and more university graduates have been found to be struggling financially, often having difficulty affording bills and other living expenses. Such financial hardships have also caused significant disruption to the lives of younger Americans, with a 2022 survey showing that around a quarter of Gen Z were unable to save for retirement or emergencies and had to delay homeownership and having children due to their student debt. Consequently, debates have arisen over whether the benefits of higher education still exceed the costs in the U.S., with many beginning to doubt that getting a college degree is worth the financial risk. While tuition costs remain at an all-time high, it is probable that financing a college degree may be detrimental for those Americans who have fewer resources and are unable to fund higher education without going into a significant amount of debt.

Most of the new vehicles in the United States in 2024 were acquired using some kind of financing, such as loans or leases. Meanwhile, only slightly over a third of used cars were purchased using some financing option. Over 80 percent of new cars had financing, a figure that has remained relatively stable in the past three years. In 2024, the share of used cars acquired with financing was somewhat lower than in 2022. The interest rates for automobile loans in the United States have significantly risen since early 2022, which has increased the burden on borrowers. How common is delinquency in the context of auto financing? The delinquency rate refers to the proportion of loans within a portfolio or market segment that are past due or in default. In 2022, the share of 90+ delinquent auto loans in the United States stood at nearly four percent. However, the share of auto loan borrowers who had loan payments that were overdue by at least 90 days had risen significantly by 2024. Which age group exhibits more auto loan delinquency? There are several factors that can influence the likelihood of a certain group having higher delinquency rates, such as financial literacy, income disparities, credit histories, and age. When looking at the delinquency rate by age group in the U.S. in 2023, it could be observed that people aged 18 to 29 had the highest share of car loans that eventually led to serious delinquency. In contrast, people that were over 50 years old had a much lower serious average delinquency rate at less than two percent that year.