Financial expert Vivian Tu advises investors to prioritize paying off high-interest credit card debt (20-30% APR) before investing, citing its cost often exceeds market gains. This advice is echoed by the SEC and FINRA, which state that no investment strategy offers better returns or less risk than eliminating high-interest debt. Federal Reserve data shows the average credit card interest rate was 20.94% in May 2026, while the stock market typically grows around 10% annually. Americans collectively owed $1.263 trillion on credit cards as of Q2 2026.