Only 3% of those with Poor credit ratings do not have any debt
Debt Management
Managing debt is a real struggle for many people, with one in three consumers (33%) admitting they have trouble keeping it under control. Debt can quickly feel overwhelming, especially when other financial pressures pile up. Among those with self-reported Excellent credit scores (760 and above), things are much steadier with one third (36%) completely debt-free and three-fifths (61%) reporting the debt they do carry feels manageable. Conversely, the story is much tougher for people with self-reported Poor credit scores (below 620), where only 3% are debt-free and a staggering three-quarters (78%) report feeling buried by debt.
Paying Bills
Paying bills on time plays a huge role the financial pressure faced by many Americans and its not just about avoiding late fees or dodging those awkward reminder calls. On-time payments are a major factor in keeping your credit score healthy. Overall, two-thirds (65%) of people say they manage to pay their bills on time. However, there is a large gap between those with strong and weak credit profiles. Almost all (98%) consumers with Excellent scores pay their bills on time, compared to just one-third (31%) of those with Poor credit scores.
Read more
1 in 3 consumers say their debt is unmanageable, Achieve survey finds
Research publisher
The Achieve Center for Consumer Insights is a think tank that leverages Achieve’s team of digital personal finance experts to provide a view into the state of consumer finances. In addition to sharing insights gleaned from Achieve’s proprietary data and analytics, the Achieve Center for Consumer Insights publishes in-depth research, bespoke data and thoughtful commentary in support of Achieve’s mission of helping everyday people get on the path to a better financial future.
Methodology
The data and findings presented are based on an Achieve survey conducted in January 2025 consisting of 2,000 U.S. consumers ages 18 and older with an active account for one or more of the following categories of consumer debt: auto loan; major credit card with a minimum outstanding balance of $100; first-lien mortgage; home equity line of credit (HELOC); student loan; and other (unsecured personal loan, store-branded credit card, buy now, pay later loan, or closed-end home equity loan). The sample was augmented to include a statistically significant subset of credit card, auto loan and student loan borrowers who have been 30 days or more past due at least once in the past six months.
