--- title: 'A Slipping Credit Score Is One of the First Signs of Alzheimer''s Disease: Study' description: A declining credit score for older Americans may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's Disease or dementia, a new study finds. authors: - name: Adam Hardy role: Lead Data Reporter url: https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/ bio: Adam Hardy has eight years of experience in personal finance journalism. Through approachable guides, explainers, news and more, Adam has reported extensively on credit for Money. His credit coverage won an award from the nonprofit Money Management International. education: University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism at_money_since: 2021 articles: 498 covers: - Credit - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology also_seen_in: - The Penny Hoarder - Forbes Advisor - Creative Loafing - The New York Times - The Washington Post - Bloomberg - Harvard Law School - The Federal Register - National Consumer Law Center - CBS News - Becker's Hospital Review - Business Insider - Mother Jones - The Week - Fortune - The Philadelphia Inquirer - National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA) - Education Advisory Board (EAB) - The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) - This Morning with Gordon Deal - Empower - Reddit social: - https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism - https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/ editors: - name: Brad Tuttle role: Senior Editor url: https://money.com/author/brad-tuttle/ bio: Brad Tuttle is a former senior editor at Money with over 10 years’ experience covering a vast number of personal finance topics, including careers, cars, travel, budgeting, investing, insurance, credit cards, consumer psychology, real estate, banking, and shopping and deals. education: Columbia University School of Journalism, MS at_money_since: 2014 articles: 366 covers: - Credit - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit Cards - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology social: - https://twitter.com/bradrtuttle - https://linkedin.com/in/brad-tuttle-834b225 former_staff: true published: '2024-07-16T15:56:51.000Z' modified: '2024-07-16T15:59:53.000Z' section: Credit tags: - News word_count: 600 canonical: https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/ type: NewsArticle source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Illustration of a declining credit score being linked to dementia](https://img.money.com/2024/07/News-declining-credit-score-sign-dementia.jpg?crop=0px%2C231px%2C2880px%2C1620px&quality=85) A falling credit score is a sign of financial distress. For older Americans, it might also be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease or another memory disorder. In a [new study](https://www.newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/media/research/staff_reports/sr1106.pdf?sc_lang=en), researchers at [Georgetown University](https://money.com/best-colleges/profile/georgetown-university/) and the New York Federal Reserve analyzed credit-payment and Medicare-diagnosis data on more than 2.4 million Americans, finding that a slipping [credit score](https://money.com/what-is-a-credit-score/) in older adults is often one of the first observable symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. “The results are striking in their clarity and consistency,” Carole Roan Gresenz, a health economist at Georgetown and the study’s lead researcher, said in a [statement](https://health.georgetown.edu/news-release/cognitive-declines-preceding-alzheimers-diagnosis-lead-to-credit-card-mortgage-delinquency/). “The financial decline we observe mirrors the cognitive decline that these individuals are experiencing.” In the U.S., nearly 6 million people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or a related disease. The vast majority of people who suffer from the incurable degenerative brain disease are 65 years or older. ## Address Alzheimer's financial impact with Credit Saint ### Slipping credit scores can signal early Alzheimer's. Act now to safeguard your financial future with expert credit repair. Click on your state to get started today! [View Plans](https://money.com/pr/qff9edc0e6dd?ap_referrer=%2Fcredit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia%2F) Gresenz explains that the disease often progresses unnoticed until the symptoms are severe. Yet the study finds that late payments on [credit cards](https://money.com/best-credit-cards/) and [mortgages](https://money.com/best-mortgage-lenders/), which result in lower [credit scores](https://money.com/how-to-check-your-credit-score/) overall, are evident five years before someone gets officially diagnosed. For example, credit card balances in delinquency were 25% higher than usual five years before the person was diagnosed. The closer to the date of diagnosis, the worse the financial problems got. Two years before diagnosis, the past-due balances were 31% higher, and at one year pre-diagnosis, delinquent balances increased to more than 50% above the norm. “Considering the typical progression of the disease, these findings point to financial consequences of the disease in its earliest stages, when symptoms are typically mild and not widely apparent,” the researchers wrote. The expansive study, published May 31 by the NY Fed, builds on a body of research linking financial decline and dementia-related diseases. A similar study published by *JAMA Internal Medicine* in 2020 found that people who were ultimately diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease were more likely to miss bill payments six years before diagnosis, and those people were more likely to develop [subprime credit scores](https://watermark.silverchair.com/jamainternal_nicholas_2020_oi_200092_1611344129.15687.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAz0wggM5BgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggMqMIIDJgIBADCCAx8GCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMx38rr9Y4vIKRbf0PAgEQgIIC8Esfzmqja0BytLdiUeJp92HnE_b_nd0Ht0sgSUG7rAe_X9Bvu5xrIwuKLQrD8XD-CqF111nf7pYJF-L5VcZPJI2TyCLHVT-u4tdraRpRxMGXswuFubJlV0vQMo1zNi5TkBvrixhZRA8UR8xn7v5o_9S2gB-hh4297s2rNOapegLPq1-oi5teBPX0qu6Hgu3EVwHWDnCDAE-uRY04iLuiVpaenlEzNLC4tNazZyCDeprGmyt3Lkdim8LkXfchswJIAQzeV0m0TNIW2_Evsr9QmnUhiMWl6U6sc2cxej8JVXjlsznNjLp56ZzeXhn8eibfLL8WXl7yljUT1kr946LgaWoEkn9qPz151t8zgwFm7fej1aEBcgfBHAmbwofQNGC3huf57W1l0Xr7MxRZ_FVEFJw4xKCK2wIQYZzTK87vZ_OPKgbpnmfRdnCle-5mkviXKCtPw7cQKwWDMYln0cEIqjbZwrY7vhnpBbEgWOuA_ELfcfhLusVY_uCvOkq3y2OMKDfMn3Bgq2lPykEruabID-JnpwKtbVSLZRzrFk4zQEMDvZzsx5SULm9KuCp2N5rIcfj9skV7YpEaOpmPTJCdhm8KzsoDS97yepWnL0WCg6pDVS97vAxKQ49rVpVAYaYNX9aAHalku2Y9pqHekp0-EqNIaU-G7FBA12dIMeGvYNRmnnP_f-tWpAl7bh_stH2oYhMMuiqRS8WazkijiootNTfQwfG9Zod5Adw-AUlI44FcBa8qXckqWvqBd6D45UX5wqDU7VnD-5M1lcv9dKil2jjYPWJ0JyVrBIzNO8BriCtvx-vGGJbvMWIHZOkhxZJRzc5ZqHXl0ZnNSuHbgJhvB7gVrHdlq5L5Mbpe6Mo4xbcjLmvbp366x2pXrxWoGViAkluPo1dads4lmRiRqI46WnWloQzoSoDOMjcsU-PfQmoJLpe5gqkAagrurWGsJSljJjWZyodyyIwCZQnlWaZpde8SfEUNF7IJVzh88gn4Kv7j) (or scores in the 300 to 600 range) about 2.5 years prior to getting diagnosed with the disorder. And in 2019, Gresenz led a study that showed the finances of households with someone who was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease declined, leading to a lower [net worth](https://money.com/median-net-worth-by-age-race/) often due to worsened financial decision-making and an increased susceptibility to [financial scams](https://money.com/scams-amazon-best-buy-business-impersonation/). ## Shield your finances from Alzheimer's financial risks with comprehensive Credit Repair from Credit Saint. ### Alzheimer's can impact credit scores years before diagnosis. Credit Saint's strategies can help you stay secure. Click below to get started. [View Plans](https://money.com/pr/x9406af1a387?ap_referrer=%2Fcredit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia%2F) ## Credit scores to detect dementia? Given how early the financial impact of Alzheimer's disease starts, researchers are recommending that credit data be used as a diagnostic tool to help doctors and families detect warning signs of dementia-related diseases as soon as possible. Treatment for a late-stage memory disorder can be financially debilitating on its own, according to the researchers of the NY Fed study. The financial decline that precedes diagnosis only “exacerbate\[s\] an already destabilizing circumstance.” The costs of brain imaging alone, which is needed to screen and diagnose Alzheimer’s, limits the accessibility of treatment as it is, they explain. However, credit data gathered by the big three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) can be used to catch symptoms sooner — and at a much lower cost. The researchers would like to see the creation of an algorithm that uses machine learning to detect dementia and assist with diagnosis. “Our findings,” Gresenz said, “substantiate the possible utility of credit reporting data for facilitating early identification of those at risk for memory disorders.” ## Early signs of Alzheimer's include slipping credit scores. ### Credit Saint can help repair your credit today to maintain financial stability and peace of mind. Click below to get started today. [View Plans](https://money.com/pr/tfc576c8102a?ap_referrer=%2Fcredit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia%2F) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Credit", "item": "https://money.com/credit/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Credit Score", "item": "https://money.com/credit-score/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A Slipping Credit Score Is One of the First Signs of Alzheimer's Disease: Study" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/", "name": "A Slipping Credit Score Is One of the First Signs of Alzheimer's Disease: Study", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2024-07-16T15:56:51.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2024-07-16T15:59:53.000Z" }, { "@type": "NewsArticle", "headline": "A Slipping Credit Score Is One of the First Signs of Alzheimer's Disease: Study", "articleSection": "Credit", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2024/07/News-declining-credit-score-sign-dementia.jpg?crop=0px%2C231px%2C2880px%2C1620px&quality=85", "width": 1012, "height": 569, "caption": "News-declining-credit-score-sign-dementia" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Hardy", "url": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/adam-hardy/#author", "description": "Adam Hardy has eight years of experience in personal finance journalism. Through approachable guides, explainers, news and more, Adam has reported extensively on credit for Money. His credit coverage won an award from the nonprofit Money Management International.", "image": "https://img.money.com/2022/01/a_adam-hardy.jpg?quality=85&w=400&h=440&crop=1", "email": "adam.hardy@money.com", "jobTitle": "Lead Data Reporter", "alumniOf": "University of South Florida, BA, Magazine Journalism", "subjectOf": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/", "name": "The Penny Hoarder" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.forbes.com/advisor/", "name": "Forbes Advisor" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://creativeloafing.com/", "name": "Creative Loafing" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/01/opinion/biden-trump-harris-2024.html", "name": "The New York Times" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/26/flexible-spending-account-is-flawed-benefit/", "name": "The Washington Post" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-09-20/-100-000-h-1b-visa-fee-is-a-gamble-that-could-protect-us-jobs", "name": "Bloomberg" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2024/02/08/whoop-and-the-irs-how-tax-avoidance-helps-health/", "name": "Harvard Law School" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b#footnote-33-p60883", "name": "The Federal Register" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nclc.org/resources/what-states-can-do-to-stop-credit-reporting-abuses/", "name": "National Consumer Law Center" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/open-enrollment-irs-changes-fsa-hsa-flexible-spending-account-health-savings-account-2023/", "name": "CBS News" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/20-top-us-hospitals-for-2025-per-money/", "name": "Becker's Hospital Review" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/using-chatgpt-ai-write-cover-letters-job-applications-2023-2", "name": "Business Insider" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/a-major-strike-of-beef-workers-pauses-in-colorado-but-workers-say-the-fight-isnt-over/", "name": "Mother Jones" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://theweek.com/business/economy/job-market-frozen-thawing", "name": "The Week" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://fortune.com/2023/12/20/workers-lose-money-on-unused-fsa-accounts-deadlines-what-companies-should-do/", "name": "Fortune" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/liberation-day-tariffs-economy-stock-market-trump-20250401.html", "name": "The Philadelphia Inquirer" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/37955/Student_Loan_Changes_2026_New_Repayment_Options_Taxable_Forgiveness_and_More_on_the_Way", "name": "National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://eab.com/resources/blog/adult-education-blog/graduate-funding-shift-pricing-aid-strategies-aligned/", "name": "Education Advisory Board (EAB)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://ticas.org/california/state-private-loans-protections-blog/", "name": "The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://thismorningwithgordondeal.com/b/This-Morning-with-Gordon-Deal-August-04,-2026/421564107823081285.html", "name": "This Morning with Gordon Deal" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.empower.com/the-currency/life/pumpkin-spice-season-spending", "name": "Empower" }, { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/1va10oa/comment/p0i9bju/", "name": "Reddit" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.x.com/hardyjournalism", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardyjournalism/" ], "worksFor": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } } ], "publisher": "https://money.com/#organization", "datePublished": "2024-07-16T15:56:51.000Z", "description": "A declining credit score for older Americans may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's Disease or dementia, a new study finds.", "abstract": "A declining credit score for older Americans may be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's Disease or dementia, a new study finds.", "@id": "https://money.com/credit-score-decrease-alzheimers-disease-dementia/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2024-07-16T15:59:53.000Z", "editor": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brad Tuttle", "url": "https://money.com/author/brad-tuttle/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/brad-tuttle/#author", "description": "Brad Tuttle is a former senior editor at Money with over 10 years’ experience covering a vast number of personal finance topics, including careers, cars, travel, budgeting, investing, insurance, credit cards, consumer psychology, real estate, banking, and shopping and deals.\r\n\r\n", "image": "https://img.money.com/2014/01/Brad-Tuttle.png?w=226&h=247&crop=1", "alumniOf": "Columbia University School of Journalism, MS", "sameAs": [ "https://twitter.com/bradrtuttle", "https://linkedin.com/in/brad-tuttle-834b225" ] } ], "wordCount": 600, "keywords": [ "News" ], "about": [ { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Credit Score", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_score" ] }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Credit score", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_score" ] }, { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Health", "sameAs": [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health" ] } ] } ] } ```