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Borrowers are cutting back but still struggling to escape debt, Freedom Debt Relief and Money.com study finds

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Nearly half can make only minimum payments or are behind, while 79% would accept a credit-score decline to become debt free faster

SAN MATEO, Calif., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Americans carrying substantial unsecured debt are cutting everyday expenses, drawing from retirement savings and trying multiple repayment strategies, yet many still cannot make meaningful progress, according to a new study from Freedom Debt Relief and Money.com.

The study, “Deep in debt, borrowers are cutting back but still struggling,” is available on FreedomDebtRelief.com and as a PDF download.

Freedom Debt Relief, one of the largest and longest-running providers of debt settlement services in the U.S., together with Money.com surveyed 1,800 adults with at least $10,000 in unsecured debt, excluding student loans. The study found that 28% can afford to make only the minimum-required payments, while 21% are behind on at least one account.

The findings challenge the assumption that people remain in debt because they are unwilling to change their habits. Borrowers reported cutting dining, shopping and travel while pursuing a range of repayment strategies. Nearly one-third have withdrawn from retirement savings to pay down debt in the past 12 months, while 24% have borrowed against home equity to consolidate debt.

“There’s a tendency to assume that people get into, and stay in, debt because they aren’t willing to change their habits,” said Freedom Debt Relief President Sean Fox. “This research paints a much more complicated picture. Many people are already making difficult tradeoffs and actively looking for a way to improve their financial situation. Yet they’re still struggling because they don’t know where to start or which strategies are best for their specific situation.”

Borrowers make sacrifices, but still need a path forward

The study found that borrowers are highly motivated to reduce debt. Their goals extend beyond paying down balances or lowering interest: They want to regain control, reduce stress and create greater financial stability.

Key findings include:

Many borrowers are struggling to get ahead: 28% can make only the minimum-required payments, while 21% are behind on at least one account.Debt reduction is both a financial and emotional priority: 48% want to regain control and feel financially stable, while 48% want to reduce money-related stress and anxiety.Cutbacks are part of borrowers’ daily routines: 41% have stopped dining out or ordering delivery and 40% have stopped nonessential online shopping.Borrowers want immediate breathing room: 60% prioritize reducing stress, 57% reducing monthly payments and 56% improving cash flow.Speed can outweigh protecting credit: 79% would accept a credit-score decline to become debt-free faster, including 37% who would accept a drop of 100 points or more.Extra cash would go toward financial security: About 41% would prioritize faster debt repayment, while only 5% would prioritize discretionary spending.

Borrowers also see negotiation as a viable path but may struggle to follow through. While 69% consider negotiating directly with a credit card issuer safe, 14% started contacting creditors directly but did not complete the process. Only about half feel somewhat or very confident speaking with creditors.

That gap highlights how professional debt settlement may provide structure and experienced support for eligible consumers who do not feel equipped to navigate creditor negotiations on their own. Overall, 52% consider debt settlement safe, with past-due borrowers more likely to view it as a safe option.

Freedom Debt Relief launches consumer research initiative

The report is the first study from Freedom Debt Relief Insights, a new research initiative that will draw on original surveys, proprietary data and more than 20 years of experience helping consumers in financial hardship. The initiative will publish research and commentary on the experiences, behaviors and financial challenges of consumers carrying significant unsecured debt.

Freedom Debt Relief Insights aims to provide consumers with clear, practical information while contributing to a deeper understanding of financial hardship among financial services professionals, consumer advocates, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders.

The full study is available online and as a PDF download.

About Money.com 

Money has a 50-plus-year legacy of guiding people to financial victories with up-to-date information, education, and tools. Money, a digital destination, helps create richer lives for everyone—in every sense of the word. Signature franchises include a bevy of Best-In categories such as Best Places to Live,Best Crypto Exchanges, Best Mortgage Lenders, Best Life Insurance,Best Auto Insurance, Best VA Loans, Best Homeowner Insurance, Best High-Yield Savings Accounts, Best Credit Cards, Best Colleges, Best Student Loans, and Best Student Loan Refinance Companies, with an aim to improve your finances and promote your well-being. For more information, visit Money.com.

About Freedom Debt Relief

Freedom Debt Relief is one of the largest and longest-running providers of debt settlement services in the United States. We help consumers take control of their finances by giving them a proven plan to relieve their debt burden — and in the process, help them make better financial decisions in the future. Working on behalf of its consumer clients, Freedom Debt Relief negotiates with creditors to reduce the amount of debt they owe. Freedom Debt Relief is an accredited debt settlement company based in San Mateo, Calif., and has served more than 2 million consumers, helping to resolve over $22 billion in debt since 2002.

Press Contact

pressinquiry@freedomdebtrelief.com

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SOURCE Freedom Debt Relief

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WorldVue Expands Atlas into a Comprehensive Property Technology Management Platform

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October 1, 2026

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New capabilities and planned modules will give hotel owners and operators greater visibility across properties, technology assets, vendors, costs and lifecycle management

HOUSTON, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — WorldVue, a trusted provider of video, advanced connectivity and professional services to properties and enterprises across the world and a partner of the International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA), today announced the next evolution of Atlas, its operational intelligence layer operating system designed to give hotel owners and operators greater visibility, control and intelligence across their technology environments.

Originally introduced as an operational intelligence layer for WorldVue customers, Atlas is expanding beyond service visibility and support to address a larger challenge facing hotel owners and operators: technology information is often fragmented across vendors, properties, brands, spreadsheets, emails and individual systems.

Atlas is being developed to support portfolios across multiple properties and brands, including properties that may use technology services from providers other than WorldVue. This centralized technology record can also help preserve critical information when a property changes ownership or management.

“Atlas is evolving from a customer platform into a broader technology management platform,” said Mark Schaps, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at WorldVue. “Our goal is to give owners and operators one place to understand what they have, where it is, what needs attention and what’s coming next.”

From Technology Visibility to Technology Lifecycle Management

Atlas currently provides portfolio and property-level visibility, network monitoring, deployment tracking, opportunities and support case management. The platform is now being expanded toward broader technology lifecycle management.

Additional Atlas capabilities in development include modules for:

Capital Budgeting — Greater visibility into technology investments, planned projects and portfolio-level capital requirements.Contract Management — Centralized visibility into technology-related agreements and contracts.License and Subscription Management — Tracking of licenses, subscriptions, renewals and associated technology services.End-of-Life Management — Identification of equipment approaching end of life, with reporting and optional alerts to help properties plan replacement and capital needs.Compliance Management — Portfolio-level visibility into technology-related compliance requirements and documentation.Portfolio Technology Management — A broader view of technology assets and services across properties, regardless of vendor.

These capabilities will be introduced through additional Atlas feature tiers, with expanded capabilities planned for future availability.

Improved Service and Field Visibility

Atlas is also expanding visibility for property teams during field service activity. Authorized users will be able to view technician status, estimated arrival times, reported issues and work progress.

“Property teams want to know more than whether someone has been dispatched,” said Niame Ba, Vice President of Operations at WorldVue. “They want visibility into when the technician is arriving, whether work has started and when the issue is resolved. Atlas puts that information where the property team can see it.”

AI-Assisted Support

WorldVue is also introducing MIA, an AI-powered phone agent designed to gather information from customers when they call for support and initiate a service case.

MIA is intended to assist, not replace WorldVue’s support teams by collecting information at the beginning of the interaction so cases can be routed with the necessary details.

“MIA is about AI assistance, not AI replacement,” said Schaps. “The goal is to reduce friction in the initial support interaction and allow our teams to focus on resolving the issue.”

Additional Services Coming to Atlas

WorldVue is also developing additional services within Atlas, including invoicing, enabling customers to view and pay invoices through Atlas.

The expanding Atlas platform reflects WorldVue’s goal of bringing property technology information, service management and operational intelligence into a single environment.

“Hotels already have enough systems to manage,” added Schaps. “The opportunity with Atlas is to bring more of the information they need into one place.”

Atlas is currently available to WorldVue customers, with additional capabilities and feature tiers planned for future release.

WorldVue is a sponsor of INSPIRE 2026, the International Luxury Hotel Association’s flagship North American luxury hospitality conference, taking place December 15–17, 2026 at JW Marriott Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida. WorldVue’s Robert Grosz will deliver a keynote at the event. Learn more at ilha.org/inspire.

Learn more about Atlas at www.worldvue.com/atlas.

ABOUT WORLDVUE

WorldVue® is a trusted provider of video, advanced connectivity and professional services to properties and enterprises across the world. With a dedication to customer service, WorldVue is leading the way in delivering innovative technology solutions that enhance the resident, guest, and staff experience. From managed services to digital transformation, WorldVue is a single point of contact for all property technology needs.

Founded in 1975, WorldVue is a privately held company headquartered in the United States with offices globally. The company serves over 8,000 properties and over 1,000,000 rooms.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL LUXURY HOTEL ASSOCIATION

Founded in 2017, the International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) is the definitive gateway for luxury hospitality professionals, connecting hotel owners, operators, developers and investors through research, insight and candid industry dialogue. ILHA has produced more than 16 conferences and summits across the United States and Europe, anchored by its flagship INSPIRE Summits in North America and Europe. Its digital community has grown to over a million professionals, and its digital marketing platform, Luxury Hotel Network, connects sponsor and brand partners directly with its luxury hospitality audience. For more information, visit ilha.org.

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SOURCE International Luxury Hotel Association

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SerpApi Achieves ISO/IEC 27701:2019 Certification

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October 1, 2026

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AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SerpApi, the world’s leading platform for structured search data APIs has earned International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)’s ISO/IEC 27701:2019 certification. ISO/IEC 27701 is an internationally recognized standard that sets requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS). The certification builds on SerpApi’s recent security and compliance milestones, including the successful completion of its SOC 2® Type 2 examination, issuance of its SOC 3® report, and achievement of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification. 

According to ISO, “Personal data is one of the most valuable and sensitive assets organisations handle today. With growing expectations from individuals, regulators, and business partners, it’s not enough to say you care about privacy—you need to prove it.” By participating in the rigorous audit, SerpApi proves its commitment to managing risks around personally identifiable information (PII), and continually improving its privacy practices.

“Security and privacy are non-negotiable baselines for every customer we serve, from independent developers to the world’s largest enterprises,” said Alaa Abdulridha, cybersecurity expert and engineering director at SerpApi. “Protecting data at this scale requires absolute vigilance, which is why SerpApi aggressively pursues the highest global standards in data protection, ensuring our infrastructure remains trusted by the organizations that move the global economy.”

SerpApi will continue investing in the people, processes, and technology required to meet evolving global privacy and security expectations. ISO/IEC 27701:2019 certification represents the latest milestone in that ongoing commitment to customer trust and responsible data stewardship. To learn more, visit www.serpapi.com/enterprise

About SerpApi 
SerpApi is the world’s leading provider of search data, pioneering APIs that turn search engine results into structured, developer-ready information. Founded in 2017, the company enables developers, researchers, Fortune 500 companies, and organizations around the world to integrate live search insights from sources like Google, Bing, and YouTube into applications, analytics, and research workflows. With more than 100 specialized APIs, SerpApi supports use cases ranging from AI development and machine learning to SEO monitoring, cybersecurity intelligence, and e-commerce analysis, helping teams build reliable, data-driven products at scale.

Media contact: press@serpapi.com

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SOURCE SerpApi, LLC

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Vatn Systems Wins Defense Innovation Unit’s Mine Countermeasure Modernization Prize Challenge

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38 minutes ago

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October 1, 2026

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As DIU searches for modular, communications-resilient technology to conduct unmanned naval mine countermeasures, Vatn Systems’ SIGURD system evaluated under operational conditions.

BRISTOL, R.I., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vatn Systems, a leading defense technology company building autonomous underwater vehicles for the U.S. military, allied nations, and commercial customers, today announced it is a winner of the Department of War Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Mine Counter Measure Modernization Prize Challenge. Vatn’s SIGURD system, built on the company’s Skelmir S6 platform, successfully competed in the Near Surface and Volume Mine Engage Test and Evaluation segment, earning recognition as one of the top-performing solutions.

“Mine countermeasures has long been an underfunded and technically demanding mission in naval warfare, and DIU built this challenge to see which systems could perform under real mission conditions,” said Nelson Mills, co-founder and CEO of Vatn Systems.  “During DIU’s evaluation, SIGURD autonomously detected, reacquired and neutralized mine threats the way operators would encounter them in the field. As the need for this capability grows more urgent, this win helps us accelerate our mission of delivering undersea superiority at scale.”

DIU opened the MCM Modernization Prize Challenge in May 2026, seeking modular, communication-resilient, and rapidly fieldable capabilities to reacquire and neutralize underwater mine threats. Vatn’s SIGURD system, which pairs autonomous detection and terminal engagement, executed the required missions and was selected by DIU to receive a challenge prize based on its performance.

Vatn launched SIGURD in July 2026, built in a matter of weeks by configuring the company’s Skelmir S6 platform into a dedicated mine countermeasures system. It is designed, tested, and verified by a team of former Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians. Vatn’s win in DIU’s challenge points to growing government interest in affordable, rapidly fieldable mine countermeasures capability that keeps warfighters at safe standoff.

About Vatn Systems 
Vatn Systems is a leading defense technology company building autonomous underwater vehicles that can be deployed at scale for the U.S. military, allied nations, and commercial customers. Founded in 2023 by a team of maritime experts and military leaders, Vatn Systems is on a mission to be the next underwater defense prime in a world where autonomous systems dominate naval battlefields. For more information, visit www.vatn.com and follow the company on LinkedIn.

Media Contact: 
McKenzie@ArvoAdvisory.com

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SOURCE Vatn Systems

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