For white-collar workers, it’s probably tougher than it has been. This trend has been consistent and seems to be continuing — it’s not abating.

– Dr. Rikard Bandebo, Chief Economist and Chief Strategy Officer at VantageScore.

VantageScore data shows that delinquencies across all loan products for households earning more than $150,000 have more than doubled since 2023, reports CBS MoneyWatch. These Americans are now feeling the impact of several economic changes, including a weaker job market for white-collar workers and higher housing costs.

About 38% of all new jobs created in the five years before the pandemic paid above-average wages, VantageScore’s data shows. But this year that share has fallen to 7%, signaling that companies are creating fewer white-collar positions. That poses a challenge to higher-income Americans who suffer a job loss because it may be tougher to find new employment than in previous years.

Bandebo added: “This group is being hit from a number of different aspects, which is making it harder for them to make ends meet.”

The overall rate of loan delinquencies in the U.S. remains higher for low- and middle-income consumers than for high-income earners, according to VantageScore. For instance, the delinquency rate for households earning at least $150,000 now stands at about 0.34%, versus 1.75% for low-income households. However, the rise in delinquencies has accelerated faster for higher-income households than for other groups.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/economy-high-income-households-credit-card-auto-loans-impact/