As Americans weather today’s challenging economy, gauging the consumer mindset is useful for those in the collections industry. Consumer attitudes toward their credit card debt can provide insight into their approach to other types of debt. So how are credit card customers currently approaching their credit card bills?
Credit Card Delinquencies Down in April
According to VantageScore’s CreditGauge report from April 2026, credit card delinquencies are down for all stages of credit card debt. From January to April 2026, delinquencies at 90-119 days past due declined from .28% to .25%, while delinquencies at 60-89 days past due declined from .43% to .39% and early delinquencies at 30-59 days past due declined significantly from .74% to .61%.
The report also states that “the average VantageScore 4.0 credit score held stable at 701” during April, which they attribute to the positive impacts of good money management and tax refunds.
How This Affects the Collections Industry
While consumers’ credit card debt doesn’t show the whole picture of their financial situations, it can offer useful insights into their current priorities. Consumers who are prioritizing paying down their credit card debt could also be prioritizing paying down their past-due rent, utilities, student loans, or any other debts in a timely fashion, leading to increased collections revenue. They could also be putting tax refunds, as the report mentioned, or other types of monetary windfalls toward paying down their debts as well, in another positive for the collections industry.
How CBE Can Help
Consumers interested in getting their finances back on track quickly have several easy ways to pay that fit any schedule. Our smart IVR phone system and online payment portal are both available 24/7. During normal business hours, our live voice agents are also happy to guide consumers through the payment process, if they prefer.
If consumers aren’t able to pay in full right away, our payment plans offer a set of stable repayment amounts over a defined period of time, giving consumers a clear picture of their upcoming payments so they can budget with confidence.