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While revolving credit provides borrowers with flexibility, too much revolving debt can be crippling. Even with falling interest rates, the most vulnerable credit card holders can use some help.

Let’s look at ways of dealing with mounting revolving debt. But first, here’s a primer on what revolving debt is and how it differs from installment debt.

A Closer Look at Revolving Debt

There are two main categories of debt: revolving and installment. Revolving credit lets you borrow money up to an approved limit, pay it back, and borrow again as needed. The two most common revolving accounts are credit cards and a home equity line of credit (HELOC).

HELOCs are offered to qualified homeowners who have sufficient equity in their homes. Most have a draw period of 10 years, followed by a repayment period. A less common type of revolving credit is a personal line of credit, usually obtained by an existing customer of a lending institution.

Then there are credit cards, which became part of the American fabric in the 1950s, starting with the cardboard Diners Club card. You can choose to make credit card minimum payments, pay off the entire balance each month, or pay some amount in between. If you don’t pay off the full balance when it’s due, your balance will accrue interest.

That’s one of the quiet dangers of revolving debt: If you haven’t reached your limit, you can continue to borrow while you owe money, which adds to your debt and to the amount of interest accruing on it.

Recommended: Credit Card Rules to Live By

Revolving Debt vs. Installment Debt

Now let’s take a look at installment debt. It differs from revolving debt in a few key ways — namely, how you borrow money, how you pay it back, and how interest is calculated.

Installment credit comes in the form of a loan that you pay back in installments every month until the loan is paid off. Think mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, and student loans.

Installment loans can be secured with collateral, or they can be unsecured. Some loans could have fees, and the interest rate may fluctuate, depending on whether you have a fixed or variable rate loan. The loan amount is determined when you’re approved.

There are benefits and drawbacks to both types of debt. Let’s take a look.

Revolving Debt Pros and Cons

Pros:

•   Borrow only what you need

•   Can access credit quickly

•   May qualify for high borrowing limit

Cons:

•   Will have a credit limit

•   Can have high interest rates

•   Can be easy to run up a big balance

Installment Debt Pros and Cons

Pros:

•   Can cover large or small expenses

•   Payments are predicable

•   Can refinance to a lower rate

Cons:

•   Interest applies to the entire loan amount

•   Can’t add to the loan amount once it’s finalized

•   Long repayment terms are possible

Secured and Unsecured Debt

Now is a good time to touch on secured vs. unsecured debt (and why credit card debt is especially pernicious). Mortgages, HELOCs, home equity loans, and auto loans are secured by collateral: the home or car. If you stop making payments, the lender can take the asset.

An unsecured loan does not require the borrower to pledge any collateral. Most personal loans are unsecured. The vast majority of credit cards are unsecured. Student loans are unsecured, and personal lines of credit are usually unsecured.

That means lenders have no asset to seize if the borrower stops paying on unsecured debt. Because of the higher risk to lenders, unsecured credit typically has a higher interest rate than secured credit.

Which leads us to the common credit card trap: The average annual percentage rate (APR) for credit cards accruing interest was 22.63% in early 2024 … and rising. The APR on a credit card includes interest and fees.

Perhaps you can see how “revolvers” — borrowers who carry a balance month to month — can easily get caught in a trap. The average household of credit card revolvers owes $6,380 according to recent data from TransUnion. Some owe much more.

Recommended: Personal Loan vs Personal Line of Credit

Types of Revolving Credit

As we discussed earlier, common types of revolving credit accounts include HELOCs, credit cards, and personal lines of credit. Each type has features and benefits that are worth knowing.

A credit card, for instance, is convenient to use — especially for everyday purchases — and may come with extra benefits like rewards programs, airline miles, or cashback offers. Depending on the card, you might also have access to purchase protection, which reimburses you for damaged or stolen items.

With a HELOC, you leverage your home’s equity to get the funds you need, up to an approved limit, during a typical 10-year draw period. A HELOC can be a good option if you’re looking to pay for home improvements or ongoing expenses or to cover a financial emergency.

Have a less-than-predictable income or facing a major ongoing expense, like a home renovation? If you have good credit, a personal line of credit may be the right choice. It’s flexible, so you can withdraw money as you need it, though your lender may set a minimum draw amount.

How Revolving Debt Can Affect Your Credit Score

Both installment and revolving debt influence your score on the credit rating scale, which typically ranges from 300 to 850.

Your credit utilization ratio is a big factor. It’s the amount of revolving credit you’re using divided by the total amount of revolving credit you have available, expressed as a percentage.

Most lenders like to see a credit utilization rate of 30% or lower, which indicates that you live within your means and use credit cards responsibly.

The most important element of a FICO® Score is payment history. It accounts for 35% of your credit score, so even one late payment — a payment overdue by at least 30 days — will damage a credit score.

And unfortunately, late payments stay on a credit report for seven years.

Tips for Managing Revolving Debt

Ideally, we’d all avoid interest on credit cards by paying off the balance each month. But if you do carry a balance, you have plenty of company. Forty-six percent of Americans carry a balance on active credit card accounts, recent data from the American Bankers Association shows.

If your revolving credit card debt has become unwieldy, there are ways to try to get it under control.

Budget Strategies

The fastest ways to pay off debt call for creating a budget to plan how much you will spend and save each month.

With the avalanche method, for example, you pay off your accounts in the order of highest interest rate to lowest. The 50/30/20 budget works for some people: Those are the percentages of net pay allotted toward needs, wants, and savings.

Debt Consolidation

Do you have high-interest credit card balances? You may be able to transfer that debt to a credit card consolidation loan.

Consolidating high-interest credit card balances into a lower-rate personal loan will typically save you money. Most personal loans come with a fixed rate, which results in predictable payments, and just one a month.

Installment loans do not count toward credit utilization. So using a personal loan to pay off higher-interest revolving debt will lower your credit utilization ratio (a good thing) as long as you keep those credit card accounts open. (Yes, closing a credit card can hurt your credit score.)

Homeowners using a home equity loan or HELOC to consolidate high-interest credit card debt can substantially lower their monthly payments. However, their home will be on the line, and closing costs may come into play.

Another method, cash-out refinancing, is a good move only when a homeowner can get a better mortgage rate and plans to stay in the home beyond the break-even point on closing costs.

Balance Transfer

A balance transfer card is another way to deal with high-interest debt. Most balance transfer credit cards temporarily offer a lower or 0% interest rate. But they may charge a balance transfer fee of 3% to 5%, and they require vigilance.

Make one late payment on the new card, and you’ll usually forfeit the promotional APR and have to pay a sky-high penalty APR. You’ll need to keep track of the day when the promotional rate expires so any balance is not subject to the high rate.

Debt Settlement

A debt settlement company may be able to reduce a pile of unsecured debt. There are many drawbacks to this route, though.

You will usually stop paying creditors, so mounting interest and late fees will cause your balances to balloon. Instead, you’ll make payments to an escrow account held by the debt settlement company. Funding it could take up to four years.

What’s more, your credit scores will be damaged, there is no guarantee of a successful outcome, it can be very expensive, and if a portion of your debt is forgiven, it probably will be considered taxable income.

This and bankruptcy options are considered last resorts. If you do go with a debt settlement company, know that those affiliated with the American Fair Credit Council agree to abide by a code of conduct.

Credit Counseling

A credit counseling service might be able to help. The Federal Trade Commission advises looking for a nonprofit program, but it adds that “nonprofit” does not guarantee that services are free, affordable, or even legitimate.

Look into credit counseling organizations affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, National Association of Certified Credit Counselors, or Financial Counseling Association of America.

The Department of Justice keeps a list of approved credit counseling agencies. Also check with state and local consumer agencies.

A credit card hardship program addresses temporary setbacks. However, not all card companies have one.

The Takeaway

Revolving credit offers flexibility, but if left unchecked can devolve into runaway revolving debt. Credit card debt is especially pernicious, thanks to high interest rates charged to revolving balances. Debt consolidation, one approach to tame mounting revolving debt and the stress that comes with it, aims to lower your monthly payments.

Another option to consider is a lower-interest loan. It will result in a smaller monthly payment amount and just one payment to keep track of each month. The personal loan tends to be funded fast, has a fixed rate, and usually comes with no fees required.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. Checking your rate takes just a minute.

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Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SOPL-Q424-019

A Form 1098 is a tax document that reports amounts that may affect a tax filer’s adjustments to income or deductions from their income on their annual tax return. There are several variations of the form — some are used to report amounts paid and some are used to report charitable contributions made. Any of the forms a person may receive are important documents to refer to when completing annual income tax returns.

Reasons for Getting a Form 1098

There are several variations of Form 1098. The standard form, Mortgage Interest Statement, is probably the one most people are familiar with. It reflects mortgage interest a borrower paid in a calendar year. If a borrower paid $600 or more in interest on a mortgage debt in a calendar year, they should receive a Form 1098 to use when completing their annual tax return. The form includes the amount of mortgage interest paid and any refund of overpaid interest, the outstanding mortgage balance, mortgage insurance premiums paid, and other amounts related to the mortgage loan.

1098-T vs 1098-E

For those who have paid tuition to a college or university or who have paid interest on student loan debt, the Forms 1098-T and 1098-E may be familiar.

•   Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, includes amounts of payments received by the school for qualified tuition and related expenses. It also includes amounts of scholarships and grants a student may have received, adjustments to those scholarships and grants, and other information.

•   Form 1098-E is a Student Loan Interest Statement. Lenders who receive interest payments of $600 or more from a student loan borrower in a calendar year must provide this form to the borrower. The form includes the amount of student loan interest paid by the borrower, the account number assigned by the lender, and other information.

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Other Variations of Form 1098

•   Form 1098-C is connected with a very specific form of charitable giving. It shows any donation a tax filer made to a qualifying charity or non-profit of a car, truck, van, bus, boat, or airplane worth more than $500 and that meets other requirements.

•   Form 1098-F shows any court-ordered fines, penalties, restitution or remediation a person has paid.

•   Form 1098-MA reflects mortgage assistance payments made by a State Housing Finance Agency (HFA) and mortgage payments made by the mortgage borrower, the homeowner.

•   Form 1098-Q is connected with a specific form of retirement-savings vehicle, called a Qualifying Longevity Annuity Contract. This form is a statement showing the money the annuity holder received from such a contract over the course of a calendar year.

Using Form 1098 at Tax Time

For homeowners who are still paying mortgage payments, Form 1098-Mortgage Interest Statement is an important part of completing a tax return. A tax filer’s deductions depend on a number of specific factors, but there are some general rules to keep in mind when looking at Form 1098.

•   It is necessary to itemize deductions on a tax return to claim the mortgage interest deduction.

•   Deductions are limited to interest charged on the first $1 million of mortgage debt for homes bought before December 16, 2017, and $750,000 for homes bought after that date.

•   To take the mortgage interest deduction, the property that secures the debt must be a main or second home.

•   Separate forms will be provided for each qualifying mortgage.

The potential deduction of interest paid on student loans, shown on Form 1098-E, follows different rules. Notably, this deduction is an adjustment to a tax filer’s income, so it’s not necessary to itemize deductions.

•   The student loan interest deduction is limited to $2,500 or the amount actually paid, whichever is less.

•   The deduction is gradually phased out or reduced if the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is between $80,000 and $95,000 ($165,000 and $195,000 if married filing jointly) for 2024, and $85,000 and $100,000 ($170,000 and $200,000 if married filing jointly) for 2025.

Form 1098-T provides information that will be useful for tax filers who qualify for education credits provided by the American Opportunity Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit.

•   The American Opportunity Credit may be claimed by certain tax filers who paid qualified higher education expenses. To claim the credit, certain qualifications must be met, including income level, dependency status, the type of program the student is enrolled in, the enrollment status of the student, among others. The maximum credit is $2,500 per eligible student and may be claimed for only four tax years per eligible student.

•   The Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed by certain tax filers who paid qualified education expenses, but has some differences from the American Opportunity Credit. The annual limit is $2,000 per tax return (not per student). It’s not limited to college-related expenses — courses to acquire or improve job skills are also eligible. There is no limit on the number of years this credit can be claimed, and there is no minimum number of hours a student must be enrolled.

Both the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit have income phase-out levels. Like the student loan interest deduction provided by Form 1098-E, both of these credits are adjustments to income and don’t require a tax filer to itemize deductions.

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The Takeaway

Any of the variations of Form 1098 contain important information for filing your taxes. They all include financial information that has the potential to affect the amount of money a tax filer may be able to deduct. For specific information about a tax situation, it’s recommended to talk to a tax professional. The information in this article is only intended to be an overview, not tax advice.

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SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.

SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.

Separately, SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days can also earn 3.80% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. For additional details, see the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.
Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.