As we approach the end of 2018 it is important that we look back at what has transpired so far in the commercial debt collection industry before moving ahead to 2019. The commercial debt collection industry is one that continues to grow and with growth, there are different obstacles that need to be overcome. Growth also presents new opportunities that will help the industry continue to move ahead for years to come. As exciting as the future may be, the industry does still rely on many of the same core factors it has in the past.

Growth in 2018

According to CallMiner.com, “Aggregate household debt is expected to continue to grow through 2022, resulting in an increase in potential revenue sources”. This is great news for those in the industry and helps lay a foundation for business operations. The main source of growth seems to be student loans, with 90 plus day delinquencies continuing to rise (NewYorkFed). Along with student loans, other industries such as health continue to make up a big part of this diverse industry.

New Opportunities

With almost 20% of American households having some sort of medical debt, this sector remains one of the strongest growing types of debt to collect (DebtCollectionAnswers). The average amount of medical debt that is in collections is $579, with the median at $207 (DirectRecovery). Those numbers may not be as big as credit card or mortgage debt, but often times are easier to collect from consumers, which is a great benefit to collection agencies.

2019

As the calendar changes to 2019, there are definitely trends that will continue and basics that will remain in the debt collection industry. Student loans will remain one of the biggest factors that affect consumers. With an average of $29,000 of debt, college graduates are immediately in debt as they join the workforce (ConsumerFinance). This could become an issue for this group if there is an economic downturn or if they face medical difficulties.

According to the latest trends, the debt collection industry should also continue to see growth in the basic areas from the past (CallMiner). Credit card debt and mortgage-related debt look to still be the top sectors for 2019 and for years to come. This should allow the debt collection industry to continue to pursue these areas even more as the rate of growth continues to increase. With most sources in agreement that household debt continues to rise, it’s fair to that the debt collection industry is strong in 2018 and could be even stronger in 2019.

Sources

https://callminer.com/blog/state-debt-collection-2018-industry-statistics-trends-collection-practices/#IndustryStats
https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/interactives/householdcredit/data/pdf/HHDC_2015Q3.pdf
https://www.debtcollectionanswers.com/Debt-Collection-Statistics.html
https://www.directrecovery.com/blog/7-shocking-statistics-about-debt-collection-in-the-u-s/
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-credit-trends/student-loans/