# Borrowers often expect their non-mortgage debt to shrink

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/money/borrowers-often-expect-their-non-mortgage-debt-to-shrink/

> Indexed question in Money & Finance.

## Reading

A plurality of Americans expect the balance of their non-mortgage debt, from credit cards to student and auto loans, to shrink over the coming year, according to a Verasight survey conducted Dec. 22, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026. Just over a third (34%) foresee a decrease, ahead of any other single answer.

About three-in-ten (31%) expect no real change and 13% brace for a larger balance, while another 22% say they carry no non-mortgage debt at all.

## Topline

Looking ahead to next year, do you expect the balance of your non-mortgage debt (e.g., credit cards, student loans, auto loans, personal loans) to increase or decrease?

Borrowers often expect their non-mortgage debt to shrink.

- Decrease: 33.9%
- Stay about the same: 31.1%
- I do not have non-mortgage debt: 21.7%
- Increase: 13.3%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: United States adults
- Field dates: 2025-12-22 → 2026-01-05
- Base (unweighted): 1,000
- Margin of error: +/- 3.1%
- Module: predictions
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight for AI and predictions questions; weight_popculture for pop culture questions
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions#non-mortgage-debt-changes](https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions#non-mortgage-debt-changes)

## Citation

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183, fielded December 22, 2025-January 5, 2026, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions#non-mortgage-debt-changes](https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions#non-mortgage-debt-changes)