New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over
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 70 and Over stands now
The New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over was 1.8% in the second quarter of 2026. Since 2000 it has ranged from 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 6.0% in the third quarter of 2009.
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How the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over has moved since 2000
New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over: 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: 1.8% in the second quarter of 2026, down from 1.9% a year earlier. Quarterly, 2000–2026.
What the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over measures
Measurement basis: Among borrowers age 70 and over, the percent of debt balances that moved into serious delinquency (90 or more days late) over the most recent four quarters, every loan type together. Published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit as 'Transition into Serious Delinquency (90+) by Age' (Page 24 Data), a four-quarter moving sum. Drawn from the Consumer Credit Panel, a 5 percent sample of Equifax credit files, leaving out anyone with an unknown birth year. Each value is dated to the end of its quarter, and prior quarters are revised by the New York Fed at each release.
A higher rate is worse for households.
In our research, changes in New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 18 to 29 have tended to show up in this measure about 2 quarters later. How we tested this
New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over by quarter, 2000 to 2026
| Quarter | Rate (%) | Change from a year earlier (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 1.8 | −0.1 |
| Q1 2026 | 1.9 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2025 | 2.1 | +0.8 |
| Q3 2025 | 2.1 | +0.8 |
| Q2 2025 | 1.9 | +0.7 |
| Q1 2025 | 1.7 | +0.4 |
| Q4 2024 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2024 | 1.3 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2024 | 1.2 | +0.1 |
| Q1 2024 | 1.3 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2023 | 1.3 | +0.4 |
| Q3 2023 | 1.1 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2023 | 1.1 | +0.3 |
| Q1 2023 | 1.0 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2022 | 0.9 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2022 | 0.9 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2022 | 0.8 | +0.1 |
| Q1 2022 | 0.7 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2021 | 0.6 | −0.5 |
| Q3 2021 | 0.6 | −1.0 |
| Q2 2021 | 0.7 | −1.0 |
| Q1 2021 | 0.8 | −1.0 |
| Q4 2020 | 1.1 | −0.5 |
| Q3 2020 | 1.6 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2020 | 1.7 | +0.2 |
| Q1 2020 | 1.8 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2019 | 1.6 | −0.2 |
| Q3 2019 | 1.3 | −0.5 |
| Q2 2019 | 1.5 | −0.1 |
| Q1 2019 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2018 | 1.8 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2018 | 1.8 | +0.2 |
| Q2 2018 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2018 | 1.6 | +0.1 |
| Q4 2017 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2017 | 1.6 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2017 | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2017 | 1.5 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2016 | 1.5 | −0.3 |
| Q3 2016 | 1.3 | −0.6 |
| Q2 2016 | 1.6 | −0.1 |
| Q1 2016 | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2015 | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2015 | 1.9 | +0.1 |
| Q2 2015 | 1.7 | −0.4 |
| Q1 2015 | 1.7 | −0.6 |
| Q4 2014 | 1.8 | −0.7 |
| Q3 2014 | 1.8 | −0.8 |
| Q2 2014 | 2.1 | −0.7 |
| Q1 2014 | 2.3 | −0.7 |
| Q4 2013 | 2.5 | −0.6 |
| Q3 2013 | 2.6 | −0.9 |
| Q2 2013 | 2.8 | −0.7 |
| Q1 2013 | 3.0 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2012 | 3.1 | −1.2 |
| Q3 2012 | 3.5 | −0.7 |
| Q2 2012 | 3.5 | −1.0 |
| Q1 2012 | 3.2 | −2.0 |
| Q4 2011 | 4.3 | −0.1 |
| Q3 2011 | 4.2 | −0.6 |
| Q2 2011 | 4.5 | −0.2 |
| Q1 2011 | 5.2 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2010 | 4.4 | −1.3 |
| Q3 2010 | 4.8 | −1.2 |
| Q2 2010 | 4.7 | −1.2 |
| Q1 2010 | 5.3 | +0.4 |
| Q4 2009 | 5.7 | +1.3 |
| Q3 2009 | 6.0 | +2.5 |
| Q2 2009 | 5.9 | +2.5 |
| Q1 2009 | 4.9 | +1.4 |
| Q4 2008 | 4.4 | +1.3 |
| Q3 2008 | 3.5 | +0.6 |
| Q2 2008 | 3.4 | +0.9 |
| Q1 2008 | 3.5 | +1.3 |
| Q4 2007 | 3.1 | +1.1 |
| Q3 2007 | 2.9 | +0.9 |
| Q2 2007 | 2.5 | +0.4 |
| Q1 2007 | 2.2 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2006 | 2.0 | −0.2 |
| Q3 2006 | 2.0 | −0.3 |
| Q2 2006 | 2.1 | −0.1 |
| Q1 2006 | 2.0 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2005 | 2.2 | +0.2 |
| Q3 2005 | 2.3 | +0.1 |
| Q2 2005 | 2.2 | 0.0 |
| Q1 2005 | 2.2 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2004 | 2.0 | −0.7 |
| Q3 2004 | 2.2 | −0.6 |
| Q2 2004 | 2.2 | −0.6 |
| Q1 2004 | 2.4 | −0.2 |
| Q4 2003 | 2.7 | +0.1 |
| Q3 2003 | 2.8 | +0.6 |
| Q2 2003 | 2.8 | +0.7 |
| Q1 2003 | 2.6 | +0.2 |
| Q4 2002 | 2.6 | +0.3 |
| Q3 2002 | 2.2 | −0.2 |
| Q2 2002 | 2.1 | −0.2 |
| Q1 2002 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Q4 2001 | 2.3 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2001 | 2.4 | +0.3 |
| Q2 2001 | 2.3 | +0.1 |
| Q1 2001 | 2.4 | +0.5 |
| Q4 2000 | 2.3 | — |
| Q3 2000 | 2.1 | — |
| Q2 2000 | 2.2 | — |
| Q1 2000 | 1.9 | — |
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 70 and over
What does the rate measure for borrowers 70 and over?
The percent of their debt that became seriously late, 90 or more days past due, during the latest four quarters. All loan types are pooled.
Why is this group's rate low compared with younger borrowers?
Most income at this age is Social Security, which a card company or a hospital cannot garnish, and a lifetime of paying bills on time. Only the federal government can take part of a Social Security check, for a defaulted student loan or a tax debt.
What kinds of bills go unpaid at this age?
Mostly medical ones, and card balances used to cover them. Mortgages carried into retirement are the largest balances but rarely the ones that go unpaid.
Is the New York Fed's figure revised?
Yes. Each quarterly report restates the history, so a reading can change by a tenth of a point after it is first published. This page follows the latest report.
Sources and method for the New Serious Delinquency Rate, Borrowers Age 70 and Over
- New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax Measurement basis: Among borrowers age 70 and over, the percent of debt balances that moved into serious delinquency (90 or more days late) over the most recent four quarters, every loan type together. Published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in its Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit as 'Transition into Serious Delinquency (90+) by Age' (Page 24 Data), a four-quarter moving sum. Drawn from the Consumer Credit Panel, a 5 percent sample of Equifax credit files, leaving out anyone with an unknown birth year. Each value is dated to the end of its quarter, and prior quarters are revised by the New York Fed at each release. 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.