Student debt stifling other borrowing, survey shows

ISLANDIA, N.Y. – A survey of 1,500 adults found that two thirds of them said the burden of their student loans prevented them from additional borrowing for major purchases, such as homes or cars. In the monthly survey conducted by Cambridge Credit, 18% of those surveyed said that they or someone in their household had student loans outstanding. One-fifth of those borrowers described their student loans as major burdens, while half described them as minor burdens. “Student loans are particularly burdensome for younger and lower-income respondents,” Allen Grommet, an economist for the debt counseling service, wrote. Thirty-four percent of the consumers between 18 and 34 reported that they were still paying off student loans, compared to 1% of those over 65. Nearly a third of the borrowers whose household income was under $25,000 reported their loans as burdensome, while only 16% of borrowers with higher incomes did so. The organization reported that 27% of the consumers who during the past month cited frustration with high bank rates and fees as their main reason for seeking debt management advice. Slightly fewer (23%) cited income reduction or job loss.