How much money does the average American owe? According to a 2020 Experian study, the average American carries $92,727 in consumer debt. Consumer debt includes a variety of personal credit accounts, such as credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans, and student loans.
Most debt belongs to 25- to 34-year-olds; 50- to 61-year-olds owe the most on average, exceeding borrowers aged 62 years and older by 0.4%. 281,600 federal borrowers aged 24 years and younger owe an average $15,980 each for a total of $4.50 billion.
Generally speaking, a good debt-to-income ratio is anything less than or equal to 36%. Meanwhile, any ratio above 43% is considered too high.
On average, Americans carry $5,315 in credit card debt, but if your balance is much higher—say, $20,000 or beyond—you may be feeling hopeless. Paying off a high credit card balance can be a daunting task, but it's possible.
Fast answer: A general rule of thumb is to have one times your annual income saved by age 30, three times by 40, and so on.
By age 25, you should have saved at least 0.5X your annual expenses. The more the better. In other words, if you spend $50,000 a year, you should have about $25,000 in savings. If you spend $100,000 a year, you should have at least $50,000 in savings.
From ages 25-34, the median wage is $60,000 and will increase to a median wage of $90,000 by ages 45-59. Compare that with a major in the health field, which has a median wage of $53,000 at ages 25-34 and grows to a median wage of $72,000 by ages 45-59.
Kevin O'Leary, an investor on “Shark Tank” and personal finance author, said in 2018 that the ideal age to be debt-free is 45. It's at this age, said O'Leary, that you enter the last half of your career and should therefore ramp up your retirement savings in order to ensure a comfortable life in your elderly years.
And yet, over half of Americans surveyed (53%) say that debt reduction is a top priority—while nearly a quarter (23%) say they have no debt. And that percentage may rise.
When you have no debt, your credit score and other indicators of financial health, such as debt-to-income ratio (DTI), tend to be very good. This can lead to a higher credit score and be useful in other ways.
About 52% of Americans owe $2,500 or less on their credit cards. If you're looking at $5,000 or higher, you should really get motivated to knock out that debt quickly.
Is being debt-free the new rich? Yes, as long as you have money and assets, in addition to no debts. Living loan-free is a fantastic way to stay financially secure, and it is possible for anyone. While there are a couple of downsides to being debt-free, they are minimal.
The Average Net Worth At Age 25
According to CNN Money, the average net worth for the following ages in 2022 are: $9,000 for ages 25-34. $52,000 for ages 35-44, $100,000 for ages 45-54. $180,000 for ages 55-64.
The general rule of thumb is that you should save 20% of your salary for retirement, emergencies, and long-term goals. By age 21, assuming you have worked full time earning the median salary for the equivalent of a year, you should have saved a little more than $6,000.
How much money has the average 30-year-old saved? If you actually have $47,000 saved at age 30, congratulations! You're way ahead of your peers. According to the Federal Reserve's 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, the median retirement account balance for people younger than 35 is $13,000.
Created with sketchtool. By 30, you should have a decent chunk of change saved for your future self, experts say — in fact, ideally your account would look like a year's worth of salary, according to Boston-based investment firm Fidelity Investments, so if you make $50,000 a year, you'd have $50,000 saved already.
A sum of $20,000 sitting in your savings account could provide months of financial security should you need it. After all, experts recommend building an emergency fund equal to 3-6 months worth of expenses. However, saving $20K may seem like a lofty goal, even with a timetable of five years.
By age 30: the equivalent of your annual salary saved; if you earn $55,000 per year, by your 30th birthday you should have $55,000 saved. By age 40: three times your income. By age 50: six times your income.
If you owe $20,000 and make a 3% payment a month — $600 — it would take 45 months to pay that off and you'd accrue $6,707 in interest. If your minimum payment is 2%, or $400, you'd rack up $13,403 in interest.
All of a sudden, all the income you've been throwing toward your debts each month becomes yours. With no more debts to pay off, you get to experience what your paycheck actually feels like without the burden of debt payments every month. As a result, you'll have a lot more money to save, spend, or invest going forward.
If you'd like to buy a home, carrying credit card debt doesn't have to keep you from fulfilling your dream. But paying down the debt will lower your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) and could strengthen your credit score. That, in turn, will help you qualify for a home loan and potentially score you a lower interest rate.