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Are you concerned about the rising average credit card balance? According to a recent report from TransUnion, the average credit card balance per consumer has increased to $6,329 in the second quarter, up from $5,270 two years ago. This rise in credit card debt is indicative of Americans turning to credit cards to support their spending during inflationary times.
Credit products such as credit cards are increasingly being used to bridge financial gaps in household budgets. Factors such as high interest rates and inflation since 2021 have been putting pressure on credit cardholders, leading to a continuous increase in balances despite a slowdown in the rate of inflation.
One of the reasons behind the rising credit card balances is the increased number of consumers carrying balances. In the second quarter alone, approximately 170.1 million consumers were carrying a balance, marking an increase of nearly 3 million compared to the previous year.
As per Paul Siegfried, a senior vice president at TransUnion, higher-risk prime and below segments are facing significant inflationary pressures, which are reflected in increasing balances and higher card utilization rates.
What’s Causing the Increase in Credit Card Balances?
While some consumers are opening more credit cards – totaling 545 million in the second quarter – the growth rate has been modest at 2.7% year-over-year. Credit card companies have been tightening lending standards for riskier borrowers due to an increase in missed payments and delinquencies.
Recent reports from the New York Fed indicate that about 9.1% of credit card balances became delinquent in the past year, up from 7.2% a year ago. Additionally, the number of cardholders in serious delinquency (overdue for 90 days or more) has increased from 5.1% to 7.2%.
The total credit card balances surged to $1.05 trillion in the second quarter, marking an 8.6% increase compared to the previous year. While the growth rate remains high, it has actually slowed down from the previous quarter when balances increased by 11.3% year-over-year.
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