Credit card debt at is a record $1.28 trillion. Here are 4 ways to pay off your bill faster

U.S. credit card debt continues to hit new peaks, climbing $44 billion to reach a record $1.28 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Approximately 60% of card users carry a balance from one month to the next, with 12.7% being 90 or more days past due (up from 11.35% in Q4 2024).

After breaking the bank during the holiday season, Americans are often behind on their bills in January and February. There's typically a rebound in March and April as consumers use annual bonuses and tax refunds to pay down debts, but ongoing inflation has made it harder for consumers to set aside money.

Here are some ways to tackle post-Christmas credit card hangover.

If you have good credit and a steady income but just had a blip in your cash flow, transferring your balance(s) to a new card with a 0% APR promo period is one of the easiest ways to make a dent in your debt.

If you're approved, you can pause interest for up to 24 months, depending on the card.

The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has no annual fee and one of the longest zero-interest periods in the market. Other benefits include free roadside assistance, cell phone protection and credit monitoring.

Another favorite, the Capital One Venture Rewards card has a low 3% transfer fee for transfers made within the first 15 months, as well as travel perks like no foreign transaction fee, increased miles for qualifying hotels and rental cars and credits for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck.

Using a 0% intro APR card is only a good strategy if you're sure you'll have the funds to pay off the balance by the end of the intro period. Otherwise, you're just swapping one high-interest debt for another.

Balance transfers can also cause a small drop in your credit score due to the hard inquiries and reduced average account age.

Transferring multiple card balances into one debt consolidation loan can streamline payments and earn you a lower APR. Some lenders will even make payments directly to your card issuers.

Achieve approves debt consolidation loans from applicants with FICO scores as low as 620. The online lender offers flexible terms and payment dates, rate discounts, and no prepayment penalty fee.

3. Refinancing

If you're behind on your mortgage or auto loan, you may be able to refinance to a lower rate or different term, giving you time to catch up.

With lower-than-average rates and no lender's fees, Better is one of our top picks for mortgage refinancing.

Capital One has a quick prequalification process for auto loan refinancing. You can get several loan offers and choose one that fits your goals best.

4. Debt relief service

If those options won't work for you, look into debt relief companies. They negotiate with your creditors to lower your balances.

Most only work with borrowers with at least $7,500 in debt, however, and the fee for their services can range from 15% to 25% of your enrolled debt. Depending on how much you owe and how well they negotiate, that cost might be well worth it.

Freedom Debt Relief and Americor are two of CNBC Select's top choices for debt relief companies, and both guarantee you won't pay any fee unless it lowers your total enrolled debt.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of personal finance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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