• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
FinanceDebt

Credit Card Debt Usually Begins Early for Americans

By
Andrew Zaleski
Andrew Zaleski
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Andrew Zaleski
Andrew Zaleski
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 9, 2016, 12:27 PM ET
139830376
Assorted credit cardsPhotograph by Nick Wright — Getty Images

Credit card debt is the norm for a majority of Americans. But you already knew that, didn’t you?

A recent study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and cited by Bloomberg Business paints the picture. About 35% of Americans ages 25 to 50 pay off their credit card debt every month, but most of credit card debt resides with people called “revolvers,” or Americans who pay interest on their debt from carrying a monthly balance, reports Bloomberg. As of December, consumers owed a total of $936 billion in credit card and other debt, including that from auto and student loans.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston study analyzed a 5% sample of every U.S. credit account from 1999 to 2014 to come up with its findings, from which several trends emerge. As Bloomberg notes, most people’s credit card borrowing remains consistent over time: People who generally borrow more on their credit cards continue doing so throughout life, and those who borrow less stick to their respective habit. Although, if consumers are offered a higher credit limit by banks, they’ll borrow more.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Perhaps the most striking, if unsurprising, finding from the study concerns a portion of the Millennial set, that age group generally characterized as being between 18 and 34. For Americans between 20 and 30, their credit card limits increase about 450% during that period of time. Accordingly, their debt also rises—by about 300%.

Those in the Millennial set might feel the burdens of debt most acutely, as some are just starting out in the job market and looking to gain a firm financial footing. About 13% of people ages 22 and 23 work in low-skill, lower wage service jobs just after graduating college, according to U.S. News. (By the time they’ve reached ages 26 and 27, that share is cut in half.) And overall, a majority of people between 18 and 34 have less than $1,000 in their savings accounts, or no savings accounts at all.

For more on credit card debt, watch our video.

“People in their 20s don’t seem to save much,” Scott Fulford, a Boston College professor who co-authored the recent Federal Reserve Bank of Boston study, told Bloomberg.

Fulford also offered another explanation for the high levels of credit card debt among people ages 20 to 30. Savings for people in that age group usually means obtaining a higher credit limit. As he told Bloomberg, “That provides the funds for emergencies that they need.”

About the Author
By Andrew Zaleski
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
Fortune Secondary Logo
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Europedigital transformation
Why Europe can lead in trusted, industrialized AI
By Dave McCannMarch 2, 2026
19 minutes ago
President Donald Trump (C) oversees "Operation Epic Fury"
Economynational debt
Trump’s action against Iran is yet another wobble for government debt, warns UBS
By Eleanor PringleMarch 2, 2026
36 minutes ago
EuropeLetter from London
European markets slide as Iran ‘war trade’ joins the global AI ‘scare trade’ 
By Kamal AhmedMarch 2, 2026
47 minutes ago
Personal FinanceBanks
Top CD rates today, March 2, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.15%
By Glen Luke FlanaganMarch 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Personal FinanceSavings accounts
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on March 2, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganMarch 2, 2026
1 hour ago
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Why Sequoia’s Alfred Lin isn’t worried about the SaaS-pocalypse
By Leo SchwartzMarch 2, 2026
1 hour ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Your grandparents are the reason the U.S. isn't in a recession right now. That won't last forever
By Eleanor PringleMarch 1, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
MacKenzie Scott's close relationship with Toni Morrison long before Amazon put her on the path give more than $1 billion to HBCUs
By Sasha RogelbergMarch 1, 2026
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Middle East
As Iran attacks Dubai, the tax-free haven for the global elite could see 'catastrophic' fallout — 'this can also send shockwaves globally'
By Jason MaMarch 1, 2026
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Trump's universal 401(k) architect on why lower-income people distrust retirement accounts: 'they want to know what the catch is'
By Jacqueline MunisFebruary 28, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Middle East
U.S. military gives Iran a taste of its own medicine with cheap copycat Shahed drones, while concern shifts to munitions supply in extended conflict
By Jason MaMarch 1, 2026
16 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Health
Gen Z men are eating ‘boy kibble,’ the human equivalent to dog food, to load up on protein cheaply
By Jake AngeloMarch 1, 2026
23 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.