Clark Howard: Being Debt-Free and Having Good Credit Aren't Mutually Exclusive
As seen on the 24/7 Wall St. homepage on July 24, 2026.
Personal finance expert Clark Howard pushes back on the false choice between credit scores and debt freedom, arguing both strengthen your financial toolkit.
A listener challenged Clark, asking why he encourages people to maintain a good credit score instead of focusing solely on living debt-free. Clark's answer? 💡 Being debt-free and having good credit aren't mutually exclusive. Clark says he believes most people benefit from https://t.co/Mkp8gTQJoK
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When a listener pushed Clark Howard on why he champions maintaining a good credit score rather than simply pursuing a debt-free life, Howard rejected the premise of the question entirely. His position is that the two goals do not compete with each other — they can coexist and together form a stronger personal financial foundation.
The tension the listener raised is a real one in personal finance circles, where some advocates argue that credit scores are only relevant to people who plan to borrow money, making them irrelevant to someone committed to living without debt. Howard's pushback treats that as a false choice, suggesting that most people benefit from keeping both tools available rather than discarding one in favor of the other.
The tweet trails off before Howard completes his full reasoning, but the core argument is clear: a good credit score is not evidence of debt dependence — it is a financial resource that can serve you even if you never carry a balance.