Average Interest Rate on the National Debt Climbs to 3.35% in May
The average rate on U.S. interest-bearing debt rose to 3.353% in May, the highest since October 2025, as low-coupon debt refinances into higher market yields.
Mitch Strohm
Mitch Strohm is the Managing Editor of PrimeRates.com and a writer, editor and digital marketer based out of Nashville, TN. Working in the industry for well over a decade, he has been the manager editor for several financial sites and has been featured in publications including Business Insider, Bankrate, The Motley Fool and Yahoo Finance.
National Debt Tops $39 Trillion as Net Interest Nears $1 Trillion
U.S. public debt crossed $39 trillion in May 2026. With new Treasury issues yielding above 4.4% and the average rate at 3.34%, CBO projects net interest above $1 trillion this year.
DOJ Drops Fed Renovation Probe, Clearing Path for Warsh Confirmation Before May 15
The Department of Justice closed its investigation into the Federal Reserve’s Eccles Building renovations last week, removing the procedural obstacle that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) had cited as the basis for blocking Kevin Warsh’s confirmation as Federal Reserve Chair from…
What a Fed Hold Means for Your Mortgage, Credit Cards, and Savings
Markets price a 99.4% probability that the Federal Reserve will hold rates at 3.50%–3.75% on April 29, 2026 — meaning for most household financial decisions, your numbers don’t change on Wednesday afternoon. Specifically: the prime rate stays at 6.75%, your…
What to Watch at the April 2026 FOMC Meeting: 5 Things That Will Move Markets
Update — April 22, 2026: Kevin Warsh’s confirmation hearing took place April 21, 2026 (the day this article was first published). His Senate confirmation is now uncertain — Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has vowed to block the nomination from leaving…
CD vs HYSA: When to Lock and When to Stay Liquid in a Falling-Rate Environment
A high-yield savings account (HYSA) and a certificate of deposit (CD) both pay materially more than a traditional bank savings account, but they protect against different risks. An HYSA pays a variable rate that can change at any time —…
Best Unsecured Personal Loans: Compare Rates Online
Compare the best unsecured personal loans of 2026 from SoFi, LightStream, Upgrade, LendingClub, Best Egg, Upstart, Discover, and Prosper. APRs starting at 6.20%, with the national average at 12.27% (Bankrate, April 2026).
Timing Your Mortgage Rate Lock Around Fed Meetings: A Borrower’s Playbook
A mortgage rate lock guarantees the interest rate on your mortgage for a set window — typically 30, 45, or 60 days — between approval and closing. The rate inside that window does not move even if market rates climb.…
Personal Loan vs. Credit Card: Which Is Better for Your Situation?
A personal loan is the cheaper choice for borrowing $3,000 or more when you need longer than 60 days to repay — the average personal loan APR is 12.26% versus 20.97% for credit cards, according to March 2026 data from…
What Is the Prime Rate and Why Does It Matter? A Complete Guide for 2026
If you have a credit card, a mortgage, a personal loan, or any kind of variable-rate debt, the prime rate is quietly shaping how much you pay every single month. It is the benchmark interest rate that banks use to…