Serious credit card delinquencies are the highest they’ve been in 15 years, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. These are balances that are 90 days or more past due.
For certified credit counselors, who spend their days helping everyday Americans dig themselves out of debt, this number isn’t a surprise.
“Every time it seems like things are getting just a little bit better, there’s another one-two punch waiting for consumers around the corner,” says Lara Ceccarelli, a certified credit counselor based in Bremerton, Washington.
The latest blow has been the spike in gas prices, though costs for other necessities, like housing and groceries, remain high. For people who turn to credit cards to help make…