This article was originally published by Lance D. Johnson at Natural News. 

• • U.S. credit card defaults surged to $46 billion in the first nine months of 2024, the highest level since 2010.

• • Defaults have jumped over 50% year-over-year, with seriously delinquent loan balances more than doubling in two years.

• • 74.5% of US consumers carry credit card debt, with over 90% of paycheck-to-paycheck households struggling to pay bills.

• • High inflation, predatory interest rates, and fees are crippling middle- and lower-income families, eroding consumer spending power.

• • Economists warn that rising defaults could exacerbate inflation and destabilize the economy as financial institutions face mounting losses.

The effects of inflation have yet to be fully realized, as a massive wave of defaults cascade

The American economy is teetering on the edge of a financial precipice as credit card defaults soar to their highest level in 14 years. According to industry data compiled by BankRegData, card lenders wrote off $46 billion in seriously delinquent loans in the first nine months of 2024 — a staggering 50% increase over 2023. This alarming trend, reminiscent of the 2008 financial crisis, highlights the growing financial distress faced by millions of households across the nation.

The surge in defaults is a direct consequence of years of elevated inflation, skyrocketing interest rates, and predatory fees that have left consumers increasingly stretched. For many Americans, credit cards have become a lifeline to cover basic expenses, but the burden of high-interest debt is now pushing them to the brink. PYMNTS Intelligence research reveals that 74.5% of US consumers carry at least some credit card debt, with the figure soaring to over 90% for those living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to pay bills.

The average outstanding balance for these struggling households stands at 7,038, compared to 5,766 for those who live paycheck to paycheck without financial difficulties. For financially stable cardholders, the average balance drops to $3,202. This stark disparity highlights the widening gap between the economic haves and have-nots, with the bottom third of consumers effectively “tapped out,” according to Mark Zandi, head of Moody’s Analytics.

The implications of this crisis extend far beyond individual households. Consumer spending, which accounts for nearly 70% of the U.S. economy, is under severe strain. As more Americans default on their credit card debt, financial institutions face mounting losses, which could ripple through the broader economy. The Federal Reserve’s recent data shows U.S. credit card debt continuing to climb, reaching $5.113 trillion in October 2024. Meanwhile, rejection rates for credit applications—including auto loans and mortgages — have risen sharply, particularly for consumers with low credit scores.

Excessive interest rates are driving the problem

The lack of federal regulations on credit card interest rates exacerbates the problem. With no caps on rates, issuers can charge exorbitant fees, further trapping consumers in a cycle of debt. In 2022, major credit card companies like Chase, Bank of America, and Citibank collectively earned hundreds of billions in revenue, exposing the profitability of this predatory system.

At a time when prices for homes and other assets are at an all-time high, the Federal Reserve continues to raise the cost of borrowing money for these homes and other assets, driving millions of people out of the housing market and making it virtually impossible for them to save up a down payment to get into a home. Higher interest rates might have worked to combat inflation decades ago, but that was during a time when the price of homes was a fraction of what they are today.

Economists warn that the rising tide of defaults could fuel further inflation. As financial institutions write off billions in bad debt, they may tighten lending standards, reducing the flow of credit into the economy. This, in turn, could stifle economic growth and exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis.

The outlook for 2025 is grim. With homelessness at record highs and financial stress tearing families apart, the US economy is in far more trouble than most realize. The surge in credit card defaults is not just a symptom of economic malaise—it is a harbinger of deeper systemic issues that demand urgent attention. However, it might be too late to deal with this issue because the growing defaults represent cascading effects that must be realized, and will only get worse before they get better.