Gen Zers are facing mounting debt that is affecting their future financial goals, according to a new study from Accredited Debt Relief in partnership with Money.com. The survey found 45 percent of Gen Z and 39 percent of millennials say their debt increased over the past 12 months, compared with 34 percent of Gen X and 30 percent of baby boomers. Boomers were the only generation more likely to report decreasing debt than increasing debt over the same period.Nearly 6 in 10 Gen Z and millennial respondents say they often or always feel stressed thinking about their debt, compared with 36 percent of baby boomers. Fewer than 3 in 10 Gen Zers and millennials say they feel optimistic about paying off their debt, compared with 37 percent of Gen Xers and 48 percent of boomers.Debt is also affecting major financial milestones. Thirty-eight percent of Gen Z and 31 percent of millennials say debt has kept them from saving for or buying a home. For Gen X, 41 percent say debt has forced them to cut back on retirement savings—the highest share of any generation. Boomers were less likely to report debt blocking major milestones, although roughly 1 in 5 said it has forced them to cut spending in retirement.To manage debt, 55 percent of respondents have cut back on eating out, 42 percent on clothing or personal care, 35 percent on groceries and 19 percent on emergency savings. Inflation was identified as the top contributor to rising debt, with 78 percent of respondents citing it as a major factor. Housing costs followed at 68 percent, ahead of the 66 percent who cited their own spending or borrowing decisions.