Considering economic breakdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this study analyzed which U.S. households were more likely to experience consumer debt delinquency in the post-pandemic era, with a focus on the effect of changes in individual employment status during COVID-19 and pandemic-related federal stimulus payments. Since debt delinquency is a significant issue that can result in long-term harm to consumers’ financial health, this research contributes to consumer well-being by investigating factors that affect the likelihood of late repayment of mortgage, credit card, or student loans. We explored the interaction effect of employment changes and stimulus payments as well, considering economic impact and usage of stimulus payments can differ by individuals’ employment experiences during the pandemic. Using the 2021 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) dataset, we categorized employment changes into four groups based on whether experienced a job loss during COVID-19 and whether currently working or not. Significant differences in the receipt of stimulus payments and consumer debt delinquency rate were found across these groups. The main and interaction effects of two focal independent variables on consumer debt delinquency were verified to be significant. This enables a deeper understanding of the post-pandemic financial hardships faced by U.S. consumers.
