Americans who take action on their debt tend to follow a pattern: They research their options, cut back on spending, work extra hours and pay what they can. Yet there’s one step most of them never take, and it’s one that could make a major impact on how and if they achieve their goal: a conversation with a real person.

A 2026 survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with debt found that 45% wait a year or more before getting any help, according to Accredited Debt Relief and independent research firm, Drive Research. What holds people back has little to do with awareness or effort. Most are convinced they should handle the debt on their own — but that conviction doesn’t always make the most financial sense.

Key Takeaways

• 70% of people with credit card debt say everyday expenses built the majority of their balance, and among those who hide their debt, 56% feel they should fix it themselves.
• It can take over 18 years of minimum payments to clear a mid-four-figure balance, as the current average APR clocks in at 22.15% (Federal Reserve, Q2 2026).
• 45% wait a year or more to get debt help, and only 11% have consulted a professional without enrolling.

Where Debt Really Comes From

A common assumption is that debt is the result of overspending. Yet among people carrying credit card balances, 70% say most of what they owe came from ordinary day-to-day expenses — groceries, gas, utilities. Only 23% blame a big planned purchase, like a car or a vacation. Leaning on a card to cover essentials is one of the clearer signs a balance has grown past what a budget can fix.

Emergencies account for much of the rest. 38% point to a major financial setback, like a medical bill or an urgent home repair. Add it up, and most balances trace back to the plain cost of getting through the month.

That means the shame people feel about their debt is largely misplaced — and that shame is exactly what stops them from asking for help.

Why People Keep It to Themselves

Debt usually stays hidden. Asked why they conceal it, the people who do most often point to a sense that they ought to fix it on their own: 56% say so. Nearly as many, 48%, cite shame or fear of judgment.

The two feelings feed each other. When you believe the debt is your fault, telling someone feels like a confession. So people turn to their screens instead — reading, comparing, running the numbers — anything that stops short of saying the figure out loud to another human being.

Paying The MinimumYourself Saves Less than You’d Think

When people explain why they haven’t gotten help, most say it’s because of their plan to take care of it personally. 38% say they’re still trying to pay the debt down themselves, the most common reason anyone gives for waiting.

But DIY debt repayment only works if you’re paying more than the minimum. Total U.S. credit card balances crossed $1.2 trillion, hitting $1.211 trillion at the end of 2024 and reaching roughly $1.23 trillion by the third quarter of 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The rate people pay on those balances sits near a modern high: The average APR on accounts that carry a balance was 22.15% in the second quarter of 2026, per the Federal Reserve’s G.19 Consumer Credit release. All told, cardholders were charged about $160 billion in interest in 2024, up from $105 billion two years earlier, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported.

At those rates, the minimum-payment trap earns its name, and then some. A mid-four-figure balance at today’s roughly 22% to 25% APR, paid only at the minimum, can take well over 18 years to clear and cost more in interest than the original balance. For someone determined to handle it alone, minimum payments can seem like the only affordable option in the short-term — yet over time, it’s anything but.

Plenty of Research, Almost No Conversations

When people feel compelled to take care of debt themselves, they overlook the value of professional support. Half of people (50%) reach out for help within the first year. The rest wait longer — 45% for a year or more, and 28% for one to three years. At a 22% APR, that delay only makes a balance harder to manage, even as the warning signs pile up.

People are gathering plenty of information, but they just aren’t acting on it: Only 11% have spoken to a professional without enrolling. Awareness isn’t the obstacle — just 10% of respondents didn’t know debt relief programs exist — it’s the leap from reading about help to actually asking for it.

What Actually Can Get People Out of Debt

People aren’t avoiding help because they would rather struggle — it’s far more likely to be about the discomfort of talking about money issues that stress them out and bring up feelings of shame.

The good news is that the step people dread most turns out to be the easiest one to take. Getting a free, no-obligation quote from Accredited Debt Relief starts with a quick questionnaire and a conversation with a Certified Debt Specialist who gets where you’re coming from (and where you want to go). There’s no cost to ask and no obligation to enroll, and the consultation itself won’t affect your credit. Seeing how the different debt relief options work for your own numbers can help you get a clear picture of the costs and benefits of your options.

During the consultation, you’ll learn how our program works with your creditors to reduce your monthly payments, and why this approach works to get you debt-free faster and for less. For the many people whose debt came from keeping up with everyday life, that one free quote can be the difference between another year of accrued interest payments and real progress towards debt freedom.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main cause of credit card debt? Everyday expenses are the leading driver. Among U.S. adults with credit card debt, 70% say the majority of their balance came from ordinary day-to-day costs like groceries, gas and utilities, according to the Accredited Debt Relief 2026 Debt Impact Survey. Just 23% attribute it to a large planned purchase.

Why do people hide their debt? Among those who hide it, the most common reason is a belief that they should be able to fix it themselves (56%), followed by shame or fear of judgment (48%).

How high are credit card interest rates right now? The average APR on accounts assessed interest — the rate paid by people who carry a balance — was 22.15% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Federal Reserve’s G.19 Consumer Credit release.

How much credit card debt do Americans owe in total? U.S. credit card balances crossed $1.2 trillion, reaching $1.211 trillion at the end of 2024 and about $1.23 trillion by the third quarter of 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Source and Citation

All primary figures are from the Accredited Debt Relief 2026 Debt Impact Survey, conducted by Drive Research (n = 2,000 U.S. adults with unsecured debt; ±2% margin of error; published June 2026). https://www.accrediteddebtrelief.com/debt-impact-survey/

“Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, Fourth Quarter 2024.” Federal Reserve Bank of New York, February 13, 2025. https://www.newyorkfed.org/newsevents/news/research/2025/20250213

“Consumer Credit — G.19.” Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Q2 2026. https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current/

“The Consumer Credit Card Market Report.” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, December 2025. https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_consumer-credit-card-market-report_2025.pdf

Survey findings on credit card balance sources are among respondents with credit card debt (n = 1,477); findings on why people hide debt are among respondents who hide it (n = 1,706). The minimum-payment payoff figure is an illustrative amortization based on prevailing APRs.

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