New research from Accredited Debt Relief finds debt-related shame is leading many to hide their finances from loved ones and pull back from social life altogether.
CHICAGO, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For many Americans carrying serious debt, the shame is not only in what they owe. It’s in who they feel they have to hide it from. A new Accredited Debt Relief survey found that 22% of U.S. adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt say their spouse or partner does not know the full extent of what they owe.
The silence reaches beyond romantic relationships. More than half (54%) say their friends do not know, while over a third say their children (37%) and parents (37%) are…