Overview

• Health problems accounted for 17.6% of cases in the dataset, ahead of unemployment or reduced work at 15.3% and separation at 9.1%.
• The report characterizes over-indebtedness as driven by life crises rather than by individual misconduct.
• Rising housing costs, income poverty, and failed self-employment are cited as additional pressures that intensify debt risks.
• Singles, single parents, and people without school-leaving qualifications are identified as particularly vulnerable groups.
• Federal data show that 51.2% of people seeking debt counseling in 2024 lived alone, and the IFF notes the analysis is not representative of the general population.