New Findings: Vast Majority of Working Families Live Paycheck to paycheck and Growing Number Rely on Debt to Afford Essentials, AFT Member Survey Finds

ORLANDO, Fla.—On Wednesday, the AFT and Protect Borrowers unveiled new findings from a survey of more than 7,500 AFT union members, revealing the dire financial situations working families face under President Donald Trump’s failed economic policies.

The vast majority of respondents (74 percent) report they live month to month, paycheck to paycheck, and more than a third (36 percent) are unable to cover all of their monthly bills. The survey sheds light on a troubling reality: Thousands of AFT members—educators, healthcare workers and public services employees—are resorting to debt to cope with rising costs.

Matthew, a teacher from Texas, said his electricity was cut off for the first time in December. “I have been teaching since 2007 but with debt from my child’s (special needs) medical [debt] & high energy costs we had to be late on energy bills then we got really behind and power was disconnected before Christmas,” he said, responding to the survey.

The 1.8 million-member AFT and Protect Borrowers released the survey during a news conference in Orlando, Fla., which included U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, the Debt Collection Lab at Princeton University, and AFT members who shared their debt stories.

Read the memo on the survey’s findings

In response to the affordability and debt crisis facing working families across the country, the AFT simultaneously launched its “Fight for Affordability” campaign on Wednesday. The campaign will include a suite of new consumer empowerment tools and expanded debt and financial literacy clinic offerings, starting with a focus on medical debt, to help workers navigate rising costs and predatory financial practices.

The AFT’s new Fight for Affordability webpage allows visitors to register for a debt clinic, view short informational videos on topics like how to navigate your credit report or appeal a medical bill, and use an AFT Debt Navigator tool created with the Debt Collection Lab that guides users to the resources that are most relevant to them.

View the details of the Fight for Affordability campaign

“Working people are getting squeezed from every direction,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Our survey shows that’s true for the educators, healthcare workers and public service professionals who keep our communities running. In this economy, AFT members no longer feel like they have a shot at the American dream, and Donald Trump’s failed policies aren’t helping. That is why we are launching the AFT’s Fight for Affordability. This campaign will empower our members by helping them navigate the debt and cost-of-living issues that stand in the way of them building a better life. Working people deserve an opportunity to thrive, not just survive.”

“Families are being crushed by an affordability crisis while big banks pull in record profits. People are putting groceries, rent, even medical care on credit cards with sky‑high interest rates, and debt has hit an all‑time high,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.). “I applaud the AFT for releasing this stunning survey showing the growing economic challenges facing too many educators, healthcare workers and other public service workers. It is long past time we stop letting corporations profit off people’s struggle and start building an economy that puts working families first.”

“Working families are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of everyday essentials, and too many are being pushed into the red just to make ends meet—a direct consequence of President Trump’s failed economic policies,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of Protect Borrowers. “Our survey provides a chilling glimpse into the financial struggles of working families across the country and how, in Donald Trump’s economy, the American dream is being pushed further out of reach.”

"The Debt Collection Lab is honored to partner with the AFT and Protect Borrowers to share what we know about debt, financial hardship, unfair treatment and debt collection," said Fred Wherry, founder of the Debt Collection Lab. "And we are honored to amplify AFT member voices as they navigate the crisis of affordability that many of our policy makers and corporations have brought to our country."

Jodi, a nurse from Oregon, said, “The constant struggle and pressure of not having enough money to pay the household bills and buying food are affecting me physically, mentally and emotionally. I am losing hope that I will be able to retire and survive this financial instability.”

Karla, a civil servant from New York, said, “I am doing everything I can to stay afloat, but I am struggling to afford basic necessities like food, rent, gas, and the costs of continuing my education. I recently had to file for bankruptcy, which was an extremely difficult and humbling experience. I often find myself needing to borrow money from my mother just to cover essentials, and that adds stress not only to me but to my family as well.”

Key Findings

The survey findings underscore that working families are increasingly struggling to keep up with rising costs of living and price surges of basic essentials. As a result, families are taking on more debt to stay afloat—with debt burdens now approaching the highest levels seen since the depths of the Great Recession.

• The vast majority (74 percent) of AFT members who responded to the survey report living month to month, paycheck to paycheck, and more than one-third (35 percent) report being unable to afford to cover all of their monthly bills.
  • Sixty percent of respondents said they are concerned about costs rising faster than wage growth. More than half reported being worse off financially since Trump returned to office.
• The hallmarks of middle-class American life—homeownership, higher education and a secure retirement—are slipping beyond reach for many.
  • Nine in 10 AFT members said they cannot save enough for retirement, and more than 8 in 10 identified housing costs as a challenge. One in 4 members described the high cost of housing as a “major challenge.”
• Energy costs are squeezing working families across the country.
  • Rising energy costs ranked second on respondents’ list of the largest drivers of financial distress. More than 7 in 8 respondents cited rising utility bills as a challenge, and nearly 1 in 4 respondents described these costs as a “major challenge.”
• Families are turning to debt—largely credit cards and “buy now, pay later” loans—to stay afloat.
  • Sixteen percent reported taking on buy now, pay later loans, 25 percent borrowed money from family or friends, 29.3 percent delayed payments due on other bills, and more than half paid only the minimum monthly payment on credit cards.
  • Nearly 1 in 3 respondents (30 percent) reported using a credit card to pay utility bills. One in 5 (20 percent) reported using a credit card to make a payment on another debt. One in 8 (12 percent) reported using a credit card to pay the rent.
• Our broken healthcare system is driving families deep into debt.
  • Forty-nine percent of respondents reported paying for medical or dental care with a credit card over the past 12 months.

###

About Protect Borrowers

Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn’t limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.

Learn more at protectborrowers.org or follow us on social @BorrowerJustice.