Debt Management Feb 12, 2026

Social Security's 2.8% COLA Is Already Shrinking as Medicare Premiums and Stubborn Inflation Eat Into the Smallest Raise in Three Years

Social Security's 2.8% COLA raised the average retirement benefit by $56 a month, but a $17.90 Medicare Part B premium increase is consuming nearly a third of the raise for most retirees.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 16, 2026

Medicare Premiums Are Rising Three Times Faster Than Social Security's COLA for the Third Straight Year, and Retirees Are Losing Ground on Every Check

Medicare Part B premiums surged 9.7% to $202.90 per month in 2026 while Social Security's COLA was just 2.8%, eroding one-third of the average benefit increase and leaving retirees with less purchasing power.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 25, 2026

Student Loan Delinquency Rates Just Jumped to 25%, the SAVE Plan Is Dead, and Starting This Year Forgiveness Will Be Taxed as Income

Nearly one in four student loan borrowers is now delinquent, the SAVE repayment plan is being shut down affecting 7 million borrowers, and most debt forgiveness will be taxed as income starting in 2026.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 23, 2026

Consumer Delinquencies Just Hit Their Highest Level in Nearly a Decade, and the Stress Is Spreading Across Every Category of American Household Debt

US consumer delinquencies rose to 4.8% of all outstanding household debt in Q4 2025, the highest level since 2017, with stress spreading from credit cards to auto loans, student debt, and even mortgages.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 21, 2026

The Student Loan Tax Bomb Has Arrived: Forgiveness Is Now Taxable, Parent PLUS Borrowers Have Weeks to Act, and the July Deadline Will Rewrite the Rules for 43 Million Americans

Student loan forgiveness became taxable on January 1, 2026. Parent PLUS borrowers must consolidate by March. New repayment plans launch in July. Here's what to do.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 19, 2026

American Credit Card Debt Just Hit a Record $1.28 Trillion — and the Fed Data Paints a Portrait of a Country Financially Split in Two

New York Federal Reserve data shows American credit card balances hit a record $1.28 trillion in Q4 2025, up 5.5% year-over-year, as total household debt climbs to $18.8 trillion and the K-shaped economy widens.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 18, 2026

The CBO Just Projected a $1.9 Trillion Federal Deficit for 2026 and Warned That National Debt Will Surpass the World War II Record Within Four Years

The Congressional Budget Office projects federal debt will hit 108% of GDP by 2030 and 120% by 2036, surpassing the World War II record. Deficits will total $24.4 trillion over the next decade.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 16, 2026

Paying Down Debt Has Become America's Number One Financial Goal for 2026 as More Than Half of Households Cut Emergency Savings Just to Keep Up With Prices

Paying down debt is the number one financial goal for Americans in 2026 as total household debt hits $18 trillion, credit card delinquencies spike, and 54% of households reduce emergency savings to cover rising costs.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 15, 2026

The Median American Has Just $600 in Emergency Savings, and the Financial Fragility Hiding Behind Record Consumer Spending Is a Ticking Time Bomb

The median American has only $600 in emergency savings according to new data, with 54% saving less due to inflation. Even among those earning over $100,000, more than 1 in 4 doubt they could cover a $2,000 emergency within a month.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 14, 2026

Consumer Sentiment Inches Higher for a Third Straight Month but the Divide Between Stock Owners and Everyone Else Has Never Been Wider

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index rose to 57.3 in February 2026, its third consecutive monthly increase. But the gains were driven entirely by households with stock market exposure while sentiment among non-investors remained at depressed levels.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 10, 2026

Consumer Delinquencies Jump to Their Highest Level in Almost a Decade as $1.2 Trillion in Credit Card Debt Tests America's Financial Resilience

US consumer delinquencies have risen to 4.8% of all household debt, the highest since 2017. Credit card balances hit a record $1.233 trillion as younger and lower-income borrowers face mounting pressure.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 10, 2026

America Is Borrowing $43.5 Billion Every Single Week as Interest on the National Debt Races Toward $1 Trillion for the Third Consecutive Year

The US borrowed $696 billion in the first 16 weeks of fiscal year 2026, averaging $43.5 billion per week. Interest payments are on track to exceed $1 trillion for the third straight year.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read