Nebraska Debt Relief

Key Takeaways

When it comes to debt, Nebraskans are much better off than many other states. However, many residents still need help with areas of debt like credit cards, medical, and payday loans. Keep reading to learn more about debt facts and statistics for Nebraska, what options you have for debt relief in Nebraska, and how TurboDebt can help you get on a path to becoming free from debt.

How are Nebraskans Doing financially?

Some people might call it a “flyover state,” but Nebraskans know that the Cornhusker State is a pretty great place to live. As of November 2022, Nebraska ranked fifth for states with the least amount of debt.

The debt-to-income ratio in Nebraska is 1.2, and the overall cost of living is 7% lower than the national average.

Nebraska’s largest industries are corn, wheat, & soybean wholesaling and meat, beef, & poultry processing. More Nebraskans are employed in the healthcare and social assistance sector than any other part of the state’s economy.

How Does Debt Relief Work in Nebraska?

Having outstanding debts can take a huge toll on you financially and emotionally. Fortunately, there are several debt relief options in Nebraska for those who need them. If your debt is too big to manage alone, you can enlist the help of a credit counseling agency or a debt settlement company to help settle your debt.

Nebraska: A Financial Snapshot

Overall, Nebraskans struggle with less debt than residents in other areas of the country. However, this does not mean that Nebraskans live completely free from debt. In 2022, average consumer debt rose 3.4% in the Cornhusker State.

The two biggest sources of debt in Nebraska are mortgage and student loan debt. Fortunately, living in Nebraska is relatively affordable, and the state boasts lower-than-average unemployment rates.

Average Consumer Debt

Average consumer debt describes the amount of debt an individual carries from credit cards, mortgages, student loans, and auto loans. Nebraska's total consumer debt rose to $82,651 in 2022. 

Credit Card Debt

Nebraska ranks 39th in the country for the largest average credit card debt, with an average credit card balance of $5,423. This is $771 below the national average of $6,194.

Auto Loan Debt

In 2021, the average auto loan balance in Nebraska was $20,102. This is an increase of 6.6% over the previous year but still less than the national average of $20,987.

Mortgage Debt and the Housing Market

Mortgage debt makes up a large portion of most Americans’ total debt, and Nebraska is no exception, with an average home price of $265,400.

The average Nebraskan owes $167,021 in mortgage debt and has a monthly payment of around $1,483.

Student Loan Debt

After mortgages, student loans are the second largest source of debt in Nebraska and the country. The average amount of federal student loan debt per borrower in Nebraska is $31,919. For comparison, the national average is $37,787.

Bankruptcy

In 2022, 2,150 individuals filed for bankruptcy in the state of Nebraska. Of these filings, 1,393 were for Chapter 7, 20 were for Chapter 11, and 728 were for Chapter 13, the most common bankruptcy proceedings for individuals and businesses. 

Average Income and Employment

The median household income in Nebraska is $66,644, with a per capita income of $35,189. As of April 2023, the unemployment rate in Nebraska was 2.5%, almost a full point lower than the national average of 2%.

Credit Scores

The average credit score in Nebraska is 731, which is relatively strong and well above the national average. You can check your credit score by ordering a free credit report once a year from Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion.

Identity Theft

In 2022, Nebraska reported 2,019 incidents of identity theft, a rate of 105 incidents for every 100,000 residents. This puts Nebraska as one of the states with the least risk of identity fraud.

Banking and Tax Info

As of June 30, 2022, there were 140 state-chartered banks and 11 credit unions in the state of Nebraska. Nebraska’s banks received $50,253,274 in deposits in 2022.

Nebraska uses a graduated individual income tax rate system. The lowest tax bracket is taxed at 2.46%, while the highest tax rate is 6.64%. State sales tax is 5.50% with a maximum local tax rate of 2.00%. Nebraska has the 38th largest tax burden in the nation.

TurboDebt’s Internal Debt Statistics for Nebraska in 2023

In 2023, TurboDebt helped 1,103 Nebraska residents, enrolling 352 clients into its debt relief program. The average debt for each client enrolled was $21,193. Most importantly, TurboDebt helped Nebraskans save an average of 54.64% of their total debts owed before fees. If you’re curious about how much you could save, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation.

What Types of Debt Do Nebraskans Need Relief From?

TurboDebt helps residents of Nebraska find relief from many types of debt. Some of the reasons Nebraskans find themselves in debt are high credit card usage, business and homeowner expenses, and outstanding medical bills.  

Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt hit an all-time high of $986 billion in the last financial quarter of 2022. This steep rise topped the pre-pandemic figure of $927 billion. In addition to rising debt, delinquencies rose to 2.07% in 2022.

When you prepare to pay your credit card bill each month, you will have the option to make a minimum payment or pay off the entire balance for that billing period. If you only pay the minimum payment, you will be charged interest on the remaining balance. This is one of the ways credit card debt can quickly spiral out of control.  

As of January 2023, Nebraskans have a credit card delinquency rate of 6.72%, up 0.07 since before the pandemic. Payments are considered delinquent 90 days past their due date. Overall, credit card debt makes up 18.3% of all non-mortgage debt in Nebraska.

As one of the top forms of debt that we deal with, TurboDebt is well-positioned to assist Nebraska residents in getting out of credit card debt.

Divorce Debt

When a couple divorces, most debt incurred during the marriage is considered a joint responsibility, including credit card debts and mortgages. Financial stress is known to strain relationships, and a large amount of debt can increase the likelihood that you and your partner will divorce. Once the divorce is finalized, the debts are still left to be paid.

Divorce itself can also be costly. In Nebraska, it costs at least $8,000 to file for divorce. If the divorce is contested and you need a lawyer, you'll also pay an hourly fee.

The more disputes there are to settle, the more you will end up paying your lawyer. The average divorce in the US costs over $15,000. If you need help with divorce debt, know that TurboDebt can help you find a solution.

Business Debt

Almost all businesses will have some amount of debt. However, business debt can be classified as “good” and “bad” debt. Good debt is money that a business owner borrows to invest in growing their business. Good business debt increases the company’s overall net worth.

Bad debt, on the other hand, is debt that a business will have a hard time repaying and will decrease the overall net worth of the company. A bad debt is any debt the business can't reasonably pay off in the expected time frame.

Medical Debt

The point of health insurance is to make sure that all Americans can afford necessary healthcare. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many people do not have health insurance at all.

Even for those who do have insurance, their coverage might not cover every test, visit, treatment, or procedure. In either case, the patient is expected to pay for their care out of pocket. If they do not have the cash on hand to make the payment, they will have to use a line of credit. This could mean charging the bill to a credit card, taking out a personal loan, or borrowing against their home’s equity.

Nebraskans carry an average medical debt of $3,294, with 7.2% of the population in collections for medical bills. If you’re struggling to pay down your medical debt, it might be time to seek a solution, and we can help.

Homeowner Debt

The largest source of homeowner debt in the United States comes from mortgages. In Nebraska, mortgage values rose by 6.5% in 2022.

Owning a home also requires extensive upkeep and maintenance, usually from trained professionals. Even if homeowners are diligent about having their property serviced, an accident or natural disaster could still result in property damage. In the event of an unexpected emergency, homeowners may also have to take out loans to pay for repairs.

If home-related expenses are causing you debt, it might be a good time to consider a relief option. TurboDebt offers customized plans to help you maximize your savings and get back on track toward living a debt-free life. 

Retirement Debt

In order to comfortably retire in Nebraska, the average adult can expect to spend $1,002,765 over the remainder of their life. Americans aged 55-65 have an average of $197,322 in savings.

As they get older, health complications or increased support needs may force retirees to dip even further into their savings or take out loans. Any loans you have at the time you retire will still need to be paid off in full, even if you no longer have a steady income. Contact our experts at TurboDebt to help you resolve any outstanding debt in your retirement. 

Debt Relief Options in Nebraska

Below are some of the most effective strategies for debt relief in Nebraska:

Debt Management Programs

If you have multiple sources of debt, keeping track of all your monthly payments to many accounts can make paying them off even harder. A debt management program helps make repayment easier by combining all of your separate monthly payments into one. You will still owe the same principal debt amount, but your repayment plan will be more organized, and you may be eligible for lower interest rates or fee waivers, decreasing the overall cost of paying off the debt in the long term.

Debt Consolidation Loans

Debt consolidation loans are similar to debt management plans. They streamline the repayment process by consolidating all of your payments into a single loan. 

When you apply for a debt consolidation loan, you apply for a new credit account that is equal to the total amount of debt you owe. You then use that credit to pay off your existing accounts, leaving you with a single monthly payment and eliminating your debts.

Just like with any other line of credit, you will need to apply and meet the lender’s eligibility requirements. If you do not have a good credit score due to your existing debts, this may be difficult but not necessarily impossible. If most of your debt comes from credit cards, you may be able to consolidate your payments with a balance transfer card.

Debt Settlement

You can also work with a debt settlement company to negotiate with your creditors for a reduced payoff amount. While you'll still be responsible for paying off some of the debt, you won't have to pay the full amount. 

Once you enroll in a settlement program, experts will negotiate with your creditors to reduce your debt by up to 50% of what you currently owe. Next, you'll make monthly payments to the settlement company that manages your account. You'll also pay a fee to the organization based on the total debt you enroll. 

Credit Counseling

Credit counseling is usually offered at little to no cost through nonprofit organizations. A credit counseling agency will connect you with one-on-one support and mentorship from a credit counselor. Your counselor will review your current financial position and help you develop a plan for budgeting and repayment so you can escape debt.

Bankruptcy

Those unable to pay their outstanding debts may opt to file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy allows the borrower to achieve debt forgiveness while also ensuring that the lender gets some form of repayment.

The two most common types of bankruptcy are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13:

• Chapter 7 bankruptcy is used to erase unsecured debts like credit card balances or medical bills. When an individual files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, they sell off their non-exempt assets to pay back as much of their debt as possible.
• Chapter 13 bankruptcy allows the debtor to keep all of their property and gives debtors the chance to repay their debts in installments over the course of 3 to 5 years.

Debt Forgiveness

Some lenders or creditors may offer debt forgiveness programs to those who are experiencing financial hardship. If you seek debt forgiveness, a portion or all of your debt may be erased, meaning you are no longer responsible for paying back that money.

To earn debt forgiveness, you must qualify for a program based on factors like type of employment and income level. Common programs include mortgage, student loan, and tax debt forgiveness. 

Debt and Financial Hardship Resources

Are you struggling to pay your debts and bills in Nebraska? In addition to seeking debt relief, you can also take advantage of the following financial assistance programs to help ease your financial burden:

Temporary Assistance Programs

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federal program that provides cash assistance to families with dependent children living below the poverty line. Nebraska administers TANF funds through Aid to Dependent Children (ADC).

Adults who are able to work are provided services through the Employment First program to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. Families in which a parent can work are limited to 60 months of cash assistance in their lifetime. If a child is not in the care of their biological parents or the parent is disabled, there is no limit.

Note: There are no stimulus checks for Nebraska residents anymore.

Nebraska Health and Human Services

Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) administers the state’s SNAP and WIC programs. Through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), both fully federally funded programs, the DHHS provides Nebraska residents in low-income households essential utilities at a discounted rate. The department also provides assistance for those with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

Shelters for the Homeless

The Nebraska Homeless Assistance Program (NHAP) provides supplementary funds to community agencies that aid homeless or nearly homeless Nebraskans. Funding goes toward street outreach, emergency shelters, homeless prevention, and rapid rehousing.

Free Transportation Services

Madonna Medical Transportation (MMT) and Medicaid Transportation Company (MTC) provide no-cost door-to-door transportation with a Medicaid waiver in and around Lincoln and Omaha.

InetlliRide helps those receiving services through DHHS arrange transportation for non-emergency appointments. Most municipalities offer paratransit services. Check with local community organizations to see who might offer services in your area.

Child Care

The DHHS provides subsidies for low-income parents to assist with the cost of child care. The Child Care Subsidy Program is for children under the age of 12 and requires parents to be working, in school, receiving medical treatment, or otherwise unable to work. Parents are allowed to choose their provider and may be able to have the complete cost of childcare covered, but the provider must be approved by DHHS.

Break Free from Debt in Nebraska with TurboDebt

With a variety of debt relief options available in the state of Nebraska, it's never too late to take control of your financial future. Working with a credible debt settlement company like TurboDebt can help you achieve debt-free living.

When looking for a debt relief partner, be wary of scams. Sites like Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) can help you determine if the company you are considering is a legitimate debt settlement company that can help you escape debt or a scam.

Contact the experts at TurboDebt today to find out how we can help you with a customized debt relief plan.