Banks hit credit card users with higher rates in response to regulation that may never arrive
- Almost half, 48%, of credit cardholders carry debt from month to month, according to a new report.
- Most blame an unexpected emergency expense although higher costs and overspending are also factors.
- Many borrowers say it could take years to pay down their balances.
Many Americans are starting 2025 a little worse off than before, at least when it comes to credit card debt.
Almost half of cardholders — 48% — now carry debt from month to month, according to a new report by Bankrate. That's up from 44% at the start of 2024. Of those carrying balances, 53% have been in debt for at least a year.
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Roughly 47% of borrowers said they carry a balance due to an unexpected or emergency expense, most commonly medical bills or car and home repairs. Others cite higher day-to-day expenses and general overspending.
"High inflation and high interest rates have been a nasty combination, and while the worst is behind us, the cumulative effects are significant and will linger," Ted Rossman, Bankrate's senior industry analyst, said in a statement.
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Overall, Americans' credit card tab has continually crept higher.
The average balance per consumer now stands at $6,380, up 4.8% year over year, according to the latest credit industry insights report from TransUnion from 2024's third quarter.
By way of example: With annual percentage rates just over 20%, if you made minimum payments toward the average credit card balance ($6,380), it would take you more than 18 years to pay off the debt and cost you more than $9,344 in interest over that time period, Rossman calculated.
Meanwhile, 36% of consumers added to their debt load over the holiday season, according to a separate report by LendingTree.
Of those with debt, 21% expect it'll take five months or longer to pay it off, LendingTree found.
According to another report by WalletHub, 24% of Americans said they will need more than six months to pay off their holiday shopping debt. In that survey, most consumers said inflation caused them to spend more than they initially planned.
"Many people need months to repay holiday bills after overspending," said John Kiernan, editor at WalletHub.
The best way to pay down debt
The best move for those struggling to pay down credit card debt is to consolidate with a 0% balance transfer card, Bankrate's Rossman said.
"You could pay about $300 per month and knock out the average credit card balance in 21 months without owing any interest," he said.
As it stands, 30% of credit cardholders expect to pay off their credit card debt within a year, while 41% expect to pay it off in 1 to 5 years, Bankrate also found. Another 13% expect it will take more than a decade.
