Consumer Loan Delinquencies Holds Steady In First Quarter Of 2026

Consumer loan delinquencies were essentially flat in Q1 2026, with overall household debt delinquency rates unchanged from late 2025 and still at their highest since the late 2010s.

Headline numbers

• The share of consumer loans at least 30 days past due held steady at about 4.8% of outstanding household debt in Q1 2026, unchanged from the prior quarter after six consecutive quarters of increases.

• This aggregate delinquency rate is roughly the highest level since around 2017, underscoring that while conditions did not worsen in Q1, they remain relatively elevated compared with the pre‑pandemic period.

Segment details

• Early‑stage delinquency rates were broadly stable: they held steady for auto loans and edged down slightly for credit cards and mortgages in Q1 2026.

• Serious mortgage delinquencies (90+ days) ticked up only marginally, with mortgage transitions into serious delinquency rising from about 1.4% to 1.5%, still low by historical standards.

• Student loan delinquency remains a key pressure point: about 10.3% of balances were 90+ days past due in Q1 2026, up from roughly 9.6% in the prior quarter, as repayment and reporting fully normalize after pandemic-era forbearance.

Context and trend

• Overall household debt balances continued to rise modestly in Q1 2026, even as credit card balances fell seasonally after the holiday period, which helped prevent a fresh uptick in credit card delinquencies.

• The New York Fed characterizes delinquency transition rates as “mostly steady,” with auto and card performance relatively stable and student loans gradually reverting toward pre‑pandemic default behavior.