Matt Schulz Journalist Profile

Articles

Have Medical Debt? So Does Over Half of America

Jan 16, 2025 | mediafeed.org | Matt Schulz

More than half of Americans have incurred medical debt in the past — including 27% who still have it, according to a new LendingTree survey. Even worse, half of those who’ve taken on medical debt have had a debt go into collections. There’s no question that millions of Americans struggle under the weight of significant medical debt. A single unexpected medical event and the associated costs can upend someone’s financial life in ways that can take years to recover from.
Conquering Debt for a Stress-Free Retirement

Jan 7, 2025 | newsmax.com | Matt Schulz

Entering retirement brings the promise of relaxation, freedom and time for personal pursuits. However, lingering debt can tarnish this dream, creating unnecessary stress and financial strain during what should be your golden years. The good news is that debt doesn't have to derail your retirement. There are time-tested ways to manage and eliminate it, even when you're no longer working.
Over a Third of Americans Considering Buy Now, Pay Later as the Holidays Start This Year

Nov 24, 2024 | mediafeed.org | Matt Schulz

More than 1 in 3 consumers (35%) say they’re at least considering using a buy now, pay later (BNPL) loan this month, the highest percentage since September 2023, according to the November 2024 LendingTree BNPL Tracker. Each month, the LendingTree BNPL Tracker asks Americans if they plan to apply for a BNPL loan this month and how confident they feel about paying it off without missing a payment. We also ask how often consumers expect to apply for a BNPL loan in the next six months.
6 Ways to Protect Seniors From Financial Scams

Nov 4, 2024 | newsmax.com | Matt Schulz

Financial scams targeting seniors are an increasing concern for Americans and the justice departments designed to protect them. The FBI saw a 14% increase in elder fraud complaints on its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in 2023, according to its 2023 Elder Fraud Report. These resulted in adults over 60 years of age losing $3.4 billion dollars throughout the year — almost 11% more than the losses reported in 2022.
76% of Americans Struggle Paying Bills Because of Inflation. Could This One Tip Help Make Things Easier?

Oct 15, 2024 | mediafeed.org | Matt Schulz

More than 3 in 4 Americans say inflation and the economy are making it harder for them to afford their bills, according to a new LendingTree survey. And 40% of Americans say they’re less able to afford their monthly bills than a year ago. It isn’t breaking news that inflation has caused hardships for many Americans. However, LendingTree dug into the impact of inflation on people’s monthly bills, how people are managing it and what they’ve chosen to prioritize in its wake. Here’s what we found.
Football Fans May be Shaking Off Taylor Swift But Not Debt For Fall Games

Sep 17, 2024 | mediafeed.org | Matt Schulz

More than half of American adults will spend money on football as a fan this fall, according to LendingTree’s 2024 Football Spending Report. And about half of those who will spend money say they may take on debt because of that spending. LendingTree asked consumers about their professional, college and even high school football spending plans this fall.
Generating Sustainable Income Streams in Retirement

Sep 6, 2024 | newsmax.com | Matt Schulz

Running out of money in retirement is one of the top retirement worries among Americans. It can be a scary moment when you go from getting a regular paycheck to relying on your savings for income. Unfortunately, the transition isn't as easy as flipping a switch and magically transforming your savings into an income stream. Retirement income planning requires, well, planning. You want to carefully consider the various sources and strategies available to create a sustainable income stream.
2024 Credit Card Debt Statistics

Aug 23, 2024 | lendingtree.com | Matt Schulz

Americans have an absolute mountain of credit card debt — $1.142 trillion, to be exact. This credit card debt statistics page tracks Americans’ credit card use each month. We update this page regularly, looking at how much debt people have, how often they carry a balance month to month, how often they pay their credit card bills late and more.
State Tax Revenue From Sports Betting Jumps 35%

May 8, 2024 | mediafeed.org | Matt Schulz

States are reaping the benefits of legalized sports gambling in a huge way, to the tune of nearly $2.5 billion in tax revenue in 2023, according to a LendingTree analysis of government data. That’s a year-over-year jump of 34.7% nationwide, with 19 states rising by at least 10.0%, including several that grew by 40.0% or more. LendingTree analyzed U.S. Census Bureau state tax revenue data to see which states generated the most money from sports betting.
1 in 3 Buy Now, Pay Later Users Paid Late in Past Year

Apr 22, 2024 | mediafeed.org | Matt Schulz

A third of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users say they’ve paid late on one of those loans in the past year, according to a new LendingTree report. That grows to nearly half of BNPL users when you ask if they’ve ever paid late on a BNPL loan — and that figure is climbing. That’s just some of the troubling data from our latest report on these popular loans. Here’s more of what we found. Key findingsOne-third of buy now, pay later (BNPL) users say they’ve paid late in the past year.