What we’re learning helps people take action on debt

Credit and debt

Debt requires support that feels trustworthy, achievable, and realistic within the context of people’s everyday lives.

August 16, 2026

SaverLife

If awareness alone were enough, more people would already be making progress on their debt. But as we’ve seen through our research, knowing what to do and actually being able to do it are not the same thing. When SaverLife members were asked about debt solutions such as debt consolidation, debt settlement, and debt management plans, more than 40% of SaverLife members who reported their debt was unmanageable said they were not interested in using them.

Through SaverLife’s Credit Conundrum initiative, which has included interventions tested with more than 100,000 members, we set out to better understand what actually helps people move from intention to action. By combining behavioral insights, member feedback, and real-world engagement data, we explored how different forms of support affected people’s willingness and ability to take steps toward managing debt and improving their financial health.

What we found suggests that helping people take action on debt requires more than information alone. It requires support that feels trustworthy, achievable, and realistic within the context of people’s everyday lives.

One of the clearest patterns we identified is that members appeared more willing to engage when the step feels small and manageable. For example, messages encouraging members to round up their debt payments generated 43% more engagement than other types of recommendations. These actions are simple, low-risk, and easy to implement, making them feel achievable within the realities of daily life. That matters because small actions may help build momentum and could increase confidence and make people more open to larger steps over time.

Generic advice has a limited impact. We know from previous work with members that people are more likely to act when guidance reflects their specific situation and arrives at the right moment. Our debt diagnostic tool, which provides personalized recommendations based on a member’s financial situation, saw strong engagement with 87% of users who started the tool finished the diagnostic, and 35% continued into additional debt/credit support. A meaningful share of participants completed the diagnostic, and many took an immediate next step.

Members received personalized insights, clear next steps, and guidance delivered in a judgment-free tone. Together, these elements appeared to make action feel more accessible and less overwhelming.

While many members are willing to take small, self-guided actions, far fewer take the next step toward more structured support, like credit counseling.

This is where the biggest drop-off occurs. In our pilot, about a third of our members who completed the debt diagnostic received guidance recommending they talk to a debt counselor. Only about 10% of them chose to do so, while about 45% instead asked for personalized tips. The reasons are not surprising. Asking for help can feel like a major shift. It can raise concerns about judgment, permanence, or loss of control. For many people, seeking help is not just a financial decision. It is an emotional shift.

What this work makes clear is that support is not only about the solution itself, but also about how people get there. Tools like self-diagnostics can help create that entry point by allowing people to better understand their situation before being asked to take a larger step.

Our findings suggest that members appear more willing to engage with support through a gradual progression: first, understanding their situation, then taking a small action, building confidence over time, and eventually becoming more open to additional support.

Without that progression, even well-designed solutions may feel too overwhelming, risky, or out of reach to pursue.

What this means going forward

Helping people take action on debt requires a shift in how we think about support. It means starting with how people are already managing their finances, designing for small and achievable steps, building trust over time, and providing guidance that feels personalized, timely, and connected to clear pathways for deeper support.

There is no single solution that works for everyone. But there are patterns in what helps people move forward. SaverLife is continuing to test and refine approaches based on these insights. The goal is not to find a single answer, but to better understand how to design systems that make action possible.

Because progress does not come from knowing more. It comes from being able to take the next step.