"Debt Atlas": More adults are over-indebted - one in ten are affected
In Germany, more people are over-indebted than a year ago. According to Creditreform, the number could continue to rise. Even more economic growth would not change this.
The number of adults in Germany with debt problems has risen to 7.36 million as of October 1, a 4.1% increase from the previous year, according to Creditreform's 2026 Debt Atlas. This represents 10.58% of the adult population. Creditreform's chief economist, Patrik-Ludwig Hantzsch, attributes the worsening financial situation of private consumers to rising living, energy, and housing costs, as well as a cooling job market.
The increase in debt cases is largely driven by the crisis, with consumers initially experiencing difficulties paying bills, leading to pre-trial measures such as warnings and collection procedures.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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