Credit card debt is typically the most expensive debt you can take on. Interest rates on credit cards are typically well into the double-digits and often above 20% — even for people with good credit. By contrast, the best interest rates on student loans, mortgages and personal loans can be well under 10%.
High-interest loans -- which could include payday loans or unsecured personal loans -- can be considered bad debt, as the high interest payments can be difficult for the borrower to pay back, often putting them in a worse financial situation.
Here's a breakdown of the total debt amounts as of the fourth quarter of 2023 from the Fed data and average balances per debt type from the second quarter of 2023 from Experian data, the most up-to-date data available. Mortgage debt is most Americans' largest debt, exceeding other types by a wide margin.
High-interest loans, such as those from payday lenders or credit cards, are expensive but can make sense in particular circumstances. A loan is generally considered to be bad debt if you are borrowing to purchase a depreciating asset.
Here's the 'most basic rule of thumb'
As the credit card debt is higher interest and you carry a large balance on it, that debt is usually costing you more than your student loans. “Get that out of the way,” he says. “Pay those balances down [and] find a way to accelerate the repayment of that debt.”
Credit card debt is typically the most expensive debt you can take on. Interest rates on credit cards are typically well into the double-digits and often above 20% — even for people with good credit. By contrast, the best interest rates on student loans, mortgages and personal loans can be well under 10%.
It's a good idea to pay off your credit card balance in full whenever you're able. Carrying a monthly credit card balance can cost you in interest and increase your credit utilization rate, which is one factor used to calculate your credit scores.
Examples of good debt include mortgages that provide a home and a valuable asset and student loans that provide job skills. Examples of bad debt include unchecked credit card debt and payday loans.
Most Americans have some credit card debt. A recent Clever Real Estate survey found that 3 in 5 Americans (61%) are in credit card debt, owing an average of $5,875. In addition, 23% say they go deeper into credit card debt every month and 14% say they've missed a payment in 2023.
Myth 1: Being debt-free means being rich.
A common misconception is equating a lack of debt with wealth. Having debt simply means that you owe money to creditors. Being debt-free often indicates sound financial management, not necessarily an overflowing bank account.
Key takeaways. Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.
Credit card debt is a type of unsecured liability that is incurred through revolving credit card loans. Borrowers can accumulate credit card debt by opening numerous credit card accounts with varying terms and credit limits.
One type of debt that can be good for building wealth is debt used to acquire assets that generate capital growth or income/cashflow, or that is tax deductible. This type of debt is typically incurred for investment options that minimize personal risk, as the underlying asset produces income.
If you're saddled with credit card debt, you're not alone — the average American household has more than $6,000 in revolving credit card balances. But with a good payoff plan, you can be debt-free sooner than you think without hurting your credit.
Generally speaking, try to minimize or avoid debt that is high cost and isn't tax-deductible, such as credit cards and some auto loans. High interest rates will cost you over time.
Credit card debt is among the worst. The balance may never seem to go down as you struggle to make minimum payments. Even if you pay all your bills on time, credit card debt will have the most negative impact on your credit score. The higher your balances are, versus your credit limit, the lower your score.
Running up $50,000 in credit card debt is not impossible. About two million Americans do it every year. Paying off that bill? Well, that's not impossible either, though it is considerably less fun.
$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt. There are a few things you can do to pay your debt off faster - potentially saving thousands of dollars in the process.
Is $2,000 too much credit card debt? $2,000 in credit card debt is manageable if you can pay more than the minimum each month. If it's hard to keep up with the payments, then you'll need to make some financial changes, such as tightening up your spending or refinancing your debt.
This could be in the form of a payday loan, credit card, personal loan, etc. In these situations, you spend most of your time, money, and effort paying off the interest and little or no money is going to the principle of the loan.
Some examples include: Business Loans: Debt taken to expand a business by purchasing equipment, real estate, hiring more staff, etc. The expanded operations generate additional income that can cover the loan payments. Mortgages: Borrowed money used to purchase real estate that will generate rental income.
The average car loses about 25% of its value in its 1st year, and nearly 50% of its value in the first 3 years. So that $30K car is worth about $15K three years later. Now, different cars depreciate at different rates, but the point is borrowing money for a depreciating asset is almost always a bad deal.
$20,000 is a lot of credit card debt and it sounds like you're having trouble making progress,” says Rossman.
The Takeaway
The 15/3 credit card payment rule is a strategy that involves making two payments each month to your credit card company. You make one payment 15 days before your statement is due and another payment three days before the due date.
Having any credit card debt can be stressful, but $10,000 in credit card debt is a different level of stress. The average credit card interest rate is over 20%, so interest charges alone will take up a large chunk of your payments. On $10,000 in balances, you could end up paying over $2,000 per year in interest.