MMI Data: Veteran Debt and Housing Instability Are Rising Fast. Nonprofits MMI and Soldier On Answer the Call.
“The combination of rising debt, increasing housing costs, and the challenges of transitioning to civilian life can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.” - Mark McBride, Senior Counselor, MMI
STAFFORD, Texas, June 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veterans face a higher risk of homelessness than the general population, according to research from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Behind that statistic is a convergence of financial pressures - rising debt, soaring housing costs, damaged credit, and the difficult transition from military to civilian life, that too often goes unaddressed until a crisis hits.
That’s the gap that Money Management International (MMI) and Soldier On set out to close.
Since launching their credit education partnership in 2020, MMI counselors Jacob Merritt and Mark McBride have delivered more than 1,200 counseling sessions and 7,300+ follow-up check-ins to veterans and military families.
The results speak for themselves: veterans regularly achieve dramatic credit score increases, qualify for VA home loans, and avoid homelessness. The program and participants’ inspiring stories have been profiled by CBS Philadelphia, FOX26 Houston, and WPXI Pittsburgh.
Five years of MMI client data now put those individual wins in a broader context and make the case for why the work is far from finished.
Partnership Results: Five Years of Impact
The program, accessible through soldieronsuccess.org and by calling 1-888-288-3184, provides free financial counseling, credit education, housing guidance, and ongoing one-on-one support tailored to the unique challenges veterans face.
Since 2020, the outcomes include:
•More than 1,200 counseling sessions and 7,300+ follow-up check-ins delivered to veterans and military families
•Veterans regularly achieve double-digit credit score increases, with some improving scores by 100+ points
•Veterans qualifying for VA home loans, avoiding homelessness, and stabilizing their housing through early intervention
“Veterans often come to us after months or even years of managing financial stress alone,” said Mark McBride, an award-winning Senior Counselor at Money Management International. “The combination of rising debt, increasing housing costs, and the challenges of transitioning to civilian life can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Partnerships like the one with Soldier On allow us to meet veterans where they are and give them the tools to move toward lasting financial stability.”
The Scale of Veteran Financial Distress
The partnership results are set against a backdrop of accelerating financial stress among veterans. A comparison of MMI client data from 2020 to 2025 reveals a population under compounding pressure, with trends outpacing those seen among both active military families and the broader civilian population MMI serves.
Demand for counseling is rising sharply among veterans:
•Overall, veterans seeking credit counseling from MMI grew 59% from 2020 to 2025, nearly double the 29% growth among active military families during the same period.
Debt loads are growing, and veterans carry the heaviest burden:
•Average unsecured debt among all veteran clients seeking credit counseling from MMI reached $38,350 in 2025, up 41% since 2020, exceeding both active military families ($33,750) and civilians ($32,000).
•The share of veteran clients with charged-off accounts in a collection status rose from 18% to 22%, a leading indicator of severe credit distress.
Housing costs are outpacing income:
•Average monthly housing costs for all veteran clients at MMI rose 60% over five years — from $1,000 to $1,600 per month — now consuming 25% of gross monthly income.
•Among veterans experiencing active housing instability, housing now consumes 42% of gross monthly income, up from 35% in 2020.
Housing instability is increasingly affecting homeowners, not just renters:
•Homeowners now represent 66% of veteran housing instability clients in 2025, up from 50% in 2020, a sign the crisis has moved well beyond renters.
•The share of MMI’s veteran housing instability clients carrying unsecured debt rose from 58% to 68%, with average balances climbing 58% to $18,600.
“A lot of our veterans are on fixed incomes; they get a disability check, social security,” said David Ramirez, Program Manager at Soldier On. “We review their whole situation and make a realistic plan, so they don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck, and not only have a home to rent today, but work toward buying in the future.”
About the Partnership
The Soldier On–MMI partnership provides free financial counseling and housing guidance to veterans and military families, ensuring America’s heroes have access to safe, secure, and sustainable housing. Learn more about the partnership on MMI’s podcast, Long Story $hort.
About Money Management International (MMI)
For more than 65 years, Money Management International (MMI) has helped individuals and families across the country break free from debt and regain financial confidence. As one of the nation’s most trusted nonprofit financial counseling agencies, MMI offers proven tools, expert guidance, and compassionate support tailored to each client’s needs. MMI is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA). Learn more at MoneyManagement.org or call 866.864.8995.
For reporters seeking real people to interview, MMI supports a network of more than 500 peer advocates in all 50 states — former clients who have volunteered to share their experiences. Collectively, these advocates have paid off more than $22 million in debt and now serve as MMI ambassadors. Their stories are featured on MMI’s podcast, Long Story $hort.
About Soldier On
Founded in 1994, Soldier On, Inc. is a private non-profit organization based in Pittsfield, MA, providing a continuum of programs to ensure that homeless veterans and their families have access to immediate and long-term housing with an array of support services delivered to them where they live. Soldier On’s goal is to provide permanent, supportive, sustainable housing that helps formerly homeless veterans transition out of homelessness with dignity, integrity, and hope. Learn more at wesoldieron.org.
Media Contacts
Thomas Nitzsche, Vice President of Public Relations
404.490.2227 | Thomas.Nitzsche@MoneyManagement.org
Casey DiCicco, Executive Director of Communications
Soldier On
413.207.4746 | CDiCicco@wesoldieron.org
Thomas Nitzsche Money Management International 404.490.2227 Thomas.Nitzsche@MoneyManagement.org Casey DiCicco Soldier On 413.207.4746 CDiCicco@wesoldieron.org
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
