The engagement gap: Why debt support solutions go unused among young adults

Debt repayment is a central financial priority for young adult members. 72% say paying down debt is a major financial priority, but only 22% say they’re making meaningful progress.

While a large majority of young adult members are aware of these solutions, and more than half express interest in using them, far fewer actually use them. The challenge is not awareness — it is converting that awareness into uptake.

Our findings point to three priorities for better supporting young adults in taking the next step: clearer guidance, easier navigation, and greater confidence in the solutions available to them.

Early results from our AI-powered Financial Navigator show that how support is delivered matters: when referrals to credit counselors are embedded directly within the Navigator experience, follow-through increases dramatically, by as much as 600% compared to traditional outreach like email. Engagement is also strong, with nearly half of members offered the Navigator initiating a session and more than a third returning.