US consumer debt rises to $18.5 trillion, Equifax reports

• Equifax's October 2026 Consumer Pulse report showed U.S. consumer debt reached $18.5 trillion amid broad-based loan origination growth.
• Mortgage debt rose 3.4% year over year; card balances continued climbing amid higher prices and pockets of increased utilization.
• Severe mortgage delinquencies increased, offsetting annual delinquency improvements across personal loans, auto loans and bankcards.
• Auto insurance premiums surged 22.8%, outpacing income growth over the past three years and increasing household affordability stress.
• Lower-income groups experienced the highest rate of financial decline, though income alone did not fully explain financial conditions.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Equifax Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief on October 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.