NerdWallet Finds 38% of Americans Expect to Rely on Credit for Expenses

• NerdWallet's October 2026 Consumer Financial Resilience Index found 38% of Americans expect to rely on credit, up from 35% in September.
• Credit reliance among parents of minor children rose to 54% from 44% in September.
• Among younger adults, 53% of Gen Z respondents expect to rely on credit, compared with 51% of millennials.
• September inflation reached 3.7%, up from 3.4% in August, driven largely by gasoline prices.
• Another Federal Reserve rate increase anticipated before year-end could raise carrying costs on variable-rate debt such as credit cards.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Nerdwallet Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 202610200900BIZWIRE_USPR_____20261020_BW596840) on October 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.