If you’re carrying unsecured credit card balances that feel out of control, debt settlement may seem like a lifeline. The basic idea: you or a service you hire negotiates with your creditors to pay less than what you owe. In return, the creditor agrees to consider the debt resolved. While this can reduce your total...
The ongoing federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, has created a looming threat for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has indicated that unless funding is restored quickly, SNAP benefits may not be issued on November 1. With more than 42 million Americans dependent on this food‑assistance program each month, the...
Medical debt can feel overwhelming. A sudden illness or unexpected hospital visit can leave you facing bills that seem impossible to pay. But many people don’t realize that medical bills are often negotiable. By proactively negotiating with your healthcare providers, hospitals, or billing departments, you can significantly reduce your financial burden. Here’s how you can...
If you’re facing mounting credit card debt, you’re not alone. With rising costs of living and persistently high interest rates, many Americans find themselves juggling multiple high-interest credit card balances each month. But there’s a straightforward solution: consolidating your credit card debt with a personal loan. Here’s how it works—and why it could help you...
The landscape for U.S. student‑loan borrowers is changing quickly. After years of payment suspension during the pandemic, delinquency rates are climbing—and at the same time, the Trump administration is altering key aspects of forgiveness and repayment programs, creating a two‑fold shift for millions of Americans. The delinquency numbers According to the Federal Reserve Bank of...
The performance of auto loans issued to borrowers with weak credit histories has grown more troubling. For loans classified as “subprime” (commonly defined in these datasets as borrowers with credit scores below about 620), the share of those 60 + days past due recently reached over 6%. In January 2025, for example, about 6.56% of subprime auto‑loan borrowers were at least...
When you peel back the surface of the consumer‑credit data, the story unfolding with credit‑card delinquencies in the U.S. has several unsettling threads. The broad brush might not yet scream crisis, but cracks are visible—especially among vulnerable borrowers. At the headline level, the rate of delinquency on credit‑card loans at all commercial banks stood at 3.05% in...
The U.S. housing‑finance market is showing signs of relief as mortgage rates, after climbing to multi‑decade highs, have moved downward. According to the most recent survey by Freddie Mac, the average rate on a 30‑year fixed mortgage has fallen to about 6.19%, down from 6.27% just a week earlier.  This is the lowest level...