A man sitting at his dining table and opening a stack of bills.
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Americans owe more on their credit cards than ever — and paying it off has officially become the country’s No. 1 financial goal in 2026. According to a Motley Fool Money survey, credit card debt is the single biggest contributor to that stress.
The average credit card balance hit $6,523 in Q3 2025, according to TransUnion — up from $6,380 just a year before.
The numbers look different depending on your age — and so does the path forward.
Average credit card debt by generation
Your balance probably looks different depending on your age and life stage. Here’s how the numbers break down…