Student loan debt entering serious delinquency has surged significantly in 2025, reaching levels near historic highs but not definitively the highest ever recorded at exactly 12.9%.
Mostly True
Student Loan Debt entering serious delinquency soars to 12.9%, the highest level ever recorded
One in three student loan borrowers risk default as delinquency rates soar - US student debt | The Guardian
Source: theguardian.com
At a glance
Verified August 8, 2025Key Evidence
The Motley Fool reports 12.88% of student loan debt seriously delinquent in Q2 2025, close to the claimed 12.9% figure.
Fox Business and New York Fed data show serious delinquency rates around 10.2%, slightly below some pre-pandemic levels near 12%.
The Guardian and ZeroHedge confirm a sharp rise in delinquencies linked to resumed federal loan collections after COVID-19 moratoriums ended.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Recent data from multiple reputable sources in 2025 indicate a sharp increase in student loan delinquency rates, particularly serious delinquencies (loans 90 days or more past due). The Motley Fool reports that in the second quarter of 2025, approximately 12.88% of student loan debt became seriously delinquent, which aligns closely with the claim of 12.9%. However, other sources such as the New York Fed and Fox Business note that the serious delinquency rate is around 10.2% for loans 90+ days past due, which is slightly below some pre-pandemic peaks near 12%. The Guardian and ZeroHedge highlight a surge in delinquencies following the resumption of federal loan collections, suggesting this trend is worsening and may approach or exceed previous highs.
Key points:
Serious delinquency rates are rising sharply in 2025, with figures reported around 10.2% to nearly 13% depending on the exact metric and timing.
The claim that 12.9% is the highest level ever recorded is close to accurate but should be contextualized as near historic highs rather than definitively the absolute peak.
The increase is linked to policy changes such as the end of COVID-19 moratoriums on student loan payments and resumed collections.
Overall, the statement captures the significant rise and near-record level of serious student loan delinquencies but slightly overstates by implying a definitive all-time high without nuance.
Primary trail
Verified Sources7
Open source