This additional study of COVID-19 loan forbearances probes the benefits of combining short-term payment relief with longer term assistance plans for the most vulnerable consumers struggling with credit card debt.

This working paper focuses on consumers who struggled to manage credit card and other unsecured debt during the pandemic, analyzing the extent to which consumers obtained card and other forbearances from lenders and shifts in patterns of consumers who sought credit counseling and enrolled in debt management plans through September 2021.

This research brief highlights the need for consumer engagement and administrative flexibility to help distressed borrowers transition smoothly into longer-term repayment plans as pandemic deferral programs end and new programs are implemented.

This report surveys the options that are available to consumers who are struggling with unsecured debt, including available research on the options’ scope and outcomes. It provides an overview of market and policy challenges as stakeholders ponder strategies to help consumers recover more quickly from personal and broader economic crises such as COVID-19.

FinRegLab is working with teams at The Ohio State University and Charles River Associates to evaluate new workout structures and data and technology applications for consumers who are struggling with unsecured credit. The project will use data from pilots organized by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and other sources.