New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49
Share of the age group's debt newly 90 or more days late, four quarters to each quarter
Where the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49 stands now
The New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49 was 2.5% in the second quarter of 2026. Since 2000 it has ranged from 0.7% in the third quarter of 2021 to 8.8% in the third quarter of 2009.
Behind on payments? Your Rights with Debt Collectors
How the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49 has moved since 2000
New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49: down since 2025
Percent of the age group's balances that went 90 or more days late over the previous four quarters, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax: 2.5% in the second quarter of 2026, down from 2.9% a year earlier. Quarterly, 2000–2026.
What the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49 measures
Measurement basis: A flow measure for borrowers age 40 to 49: the dollars of their debt that became seriously late (90 or more days) over the latest four quarters, divided by the dollars that were not yet seriously late at the start, across every loan type. It is the New York Fed's 'Transition into Serious Delinquency (90+) by Age' series (Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, Page 24 Data), a four-quarter moving sum. Balances, not people, are counted, so large mortgages weigh more than small card balances. Ages are from the Consumer Credit Panel, a 5 percent Equifax sample, without borrowers whose birth year is unknown. Readings are dated to the quarter's last day; the New York Fed revises prior quarters.
A higher rate is worse for households.
New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49 by quarter, 2000 to 2026
| Quarter | Rate (%) | Change from a year earlier (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 2.5 | −0.4 |
| Q1 2026 | 2.8 | +0.4 |
| Q4 2025 | 3.2 | +1.4 |
| Q3 2025 | 3.0 | +1.3 |
| Q2 2025 | 2.9 | +1.3 |
| Q1 2025 | 2.4 | +0.8 |
| Q4 2024 | 1.8 | +0.4 |
| Q3 2024 | 1.7 | +0.4 |
| Q2 2024 | 1.6 | +0.4 |
| Q1 2024 | 1.6 | +0.5 |
| Q4 2023 | 1.4 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2023 | 1.3 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2023 | 1.2 | +0.3 |
| Q1 2023 | 1.1 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2022 | 1.1 | +0.4 |
| Q3 2022 | 1.0 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2022 | 0.9 | +0.1 |
| Q1 2022 | 0.8 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2021 | 0.7 | −0.6 |
| Q3 2021 | 0.7 | −1.1 |
| Q2 2021 | 0.8 | −1.3 |
| Q1 2021 | 0.9 | −1.6 |
| Q4 2020 | 1.3 | −1.2 |
| Q3 2020 | 1.8 | −0.6 |
| Q2 2020 | 2.1 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2020 | 2.5 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2019 | 2.5 | +0.2 |
| Q3 2019 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Q2 2019 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2019 | 2.3 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2018 | 2.3 | −0.1 |
| Q3 2018 | 2.4 | −0.1 |
| Q2 2018 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2018 | 2.4 | +0.1 |
| Q4 2017 | 2.4 | +0.1 |
| Q3 2017 | 2.5 | +0.1 |
| Q2 2017 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2017 | 2.3 | −0.4 |
| Q4 2016 | 2.3 | −0.4 |
| Q3 2016 | 2.4 | −0.2 |
| Q2 2016 | 2.4 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2016 | 2.7 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2015 | 2.7 | −0.1 |
| Q3 2015 | 2.6 | −0.3 |
| Q2 2015 | 2.7 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2015 | 2.8 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2014 | 2.8 | −0.4 |
| Q3 2014 | 2.9 | −0.5 |
| Q2 2014 | 3.0 | −0.6 |
| Q1 2014 | 3.0 | −0.8 |
| Q4 2013 | 3.2 | −0.8 |
| Q3 2013 | 3.4 | −1.0 |
| Q2 2013 | 3.6 | −1.2 |
| Q1 2013 | 3.8 | −1.3 |
| Q4 2012 | 4.0 | −1.2 |
| Q3 2012 | 4.4 | −0.9 |
| Q2 2012 | 4.8 | −0.5 |
| Q1 2012 | 5.1 | −0.8 |
| Q4 2011 | 5.2 | −1.2 |
| Q3 2011 | 5.3 | −1.7 |
| Q2 2011 | 5.3 | −2.3 |
| Q1 2011 | 5.9 | −2.3 |
| Q4 2010 | 6.4 | −2.3 |
| Q3 2010 | 7.0 | −1.8 |
| Q2 2010 | 7.6 | −0.9 |
| Q1 2010 | 8.2 | +0.8 |
| Q4 2009 | 8.7 | +2.1 |
| Q3 2009 | 8.8 | +2.8 |
| Q2 2009 | 8.5 | +3.4 |
| Q1 2009 | 7.4 | +2.8 |
| Q4 2008 | 6.6 | +2.9 |
| Q3 2008 | 6.0 | +3.0 |
| Q2 2008 | 5.1 | +2.4 |
| Q1 2008 | 4.6 | +2.2 |
| Q4 2007 | 3.7 | +1.5 |
| Q3 2007 | 3.0 | +1.1 |
| Q2 2007 | 2.7 | +1.0 |
| Q1 2007 | 2.4 | +0.7 |
| Q4 2006 | 2.2 | +0.5 |
| Q3 2006 | 1.9 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2006 | 1.7 | −0.1 |
| Q1 2006 | 1.7 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2005 | 1.7 | −0.3 |
| Q3 2005 | 1.7 | −0.4 |
| Q2 2005 | 1.8 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2005 | 1.9 | −0.3 |
| Q4 2004 | 2.0 | −0.2 |
| Q3 2004 | 2.1 | −0.2 |
| Q2 2004 | 2.1 | −0.3 |
| Q1 2004 | 2.2 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2003 | 2.2 | −0.2 |
| Q3 2003 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
| Q2 2003 | 2.4 | +0.1 |
| Q1 2003 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2002 | 2.4 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2002 | 2.3 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2002 | 2.3 | +0.3 |
| Q1 2002 | 2.3 | +0.5 |
| Q4 2001 | 2.1 | +0.4 |
| Q3 2001 | 2.1 | +0.5 |
| Q2 2001 | 2.0 | +0.4 |
| Q1 2001 | 1.8 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2000 | 1.7 | — |
| Q3 2000 | 1.6 | — |
| Q2 2000 | 1.6 | — |
| Q1 2000 | 1.6 | — |
Quarterly · New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax
Counties with the highest delinquency scores
There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the delinquency part of our County Distress Index.
| Rank | County | Score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coahoma County, MS | 99.5 |
| 2 | Washington County, MS | 99.3 |
| 3 | Leflore County, MS | 99.3 |
| 4 | Williamsburg County, SC | 99.2 |
| 5 | Dillon County, SC | 98.9 |
| 6 | Clayton County, GA | 98.9 |
| 7 | Yazoo County, MS | 98.6 |
| 8 | Sunflower County, MS | 98.5 |
| 9 | Marlboro County, SC | 98.4 |
| 10 | Dallas County, AL | 98.3 |
Questions about new serious delinquency for borrowers aged 40 to 49
What is being measured for borrowers age 40 to 49?
The slice of their debt that went from current, or mildly late, to 90 or more days past due over four quarters. It is a flow, measured in dollars, not a count of people.
Why does a small percentage matter for this age group?
People in their forties owe more than anyone else, so a small share of their balances is a large amount of money, most of it mortgages and car loans.
What happens to a borrower in their forties after a serious delinquency?
The mark stays on the credit report for seven years. For this group that stretch can cover a child's college years or a refinancing, when a clean file matters most.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Consumer Credit Panel, a random 5 percent sample of Equifax credit files, published in its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, Page 24 Data.
Sources and method for the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 40 to 49
- New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax Measurement basis: A flow measure for borrowers age 40 to 49: the dollars of their debt that became seriously late (90 or more days) over the latest four quarters, divided by the dollars that were not yet seriously late at the start, across every loan type. It is the New York Fed's 'Transition into Serious Delinquency (90+) by Age' series (Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit, Page 24 Data), a four-quarter moving sum. Balances, not people, are counted, so large mortgages weigh more than small card balances. Ages are from the Consumer Credit Panel, a 5 percent Equifax sample, without borrowers whose birth year is unknown. Readings are dated to the quarter's last day; the New York Fed revises prior quarters. We use the quarterly figures as published, from the first quarter of 2000 through the second quarter of 2026, with no adjustment of our own. Federal Reserve Bank of New York doesn’t adjust this rate for the season, so compare a quarter with the same quarter a year earlier. Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s report
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.