More Than Half of Consumers Say Their Short-Term Debt Will Take Over 6 Months to Repay

An Achieve survey found that 56% of respondents expect their short-term unsecured debt to take more than six months to repay. Rising living expenses and interest charges are making repayment more difficult for many households. Rakunai Select/Shutterstock

Short-term debt is supposed to be temporary, but for millions of Americans, paying it off is becoming a much longer financial struggle. Credit cards, personal loans, medical bills, and buy now, pay later purchases are increasingly becoming obligations that stretch across months or even years.

A 2026 survey from financial services company Achieve found that 56% of respondents expect it will take more than six months to repay their short-term unsecured debt.