HALF OF AMERICANS SHARE SURPRISING SENTIMENT ABOUT FINANCIAL FUTURE

Economic instability and unpredictable government actions are significantly impacting Americans’ financial well-being, leaving many people feeling stuck despite many trying hard to improve their financial situation, according to the 2025 Financial Literacy and Preparedness Survey released Tuesday by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and conducted by The Harris Poll.

Amid widespread concerns about the economic landscape, the survey found that about half of U.S. adults (53%) feel that no matter how hard they try to get ahead financially, something always comes up to set them back. Forty-eight percent feel like they are constantly treading water financially and any unexpected expense could pull them under, it also says. One-third (33%) report they are just getting by financially.

A striking 63% of Americans worry that partisanship and volatility in the U.S. government will negatively impact their personal finances in the coming year, the survey says, while 57% agree that the current uncertainty in the U.S. economy makes it impossible to achieve their long-term financial goals, and an identical 57% find this uncertainty makes managing or paying off debt more difficult.

The environment of uncertainty overshadows consumers’ confidence in their own abilities, the survey says. While 65% grade their capacity to make good personal finance decisions as an A or B, significantly fewer, 56%, rate the actual state of their personal finances as highly, suggesting that external pressures are a major factor limiting progress, the survey says.

“Feeling financially stressed isn’t a personal failing,” NFCC CEO Mike Croxson said in a statement. “As the survey makes clear, it’s often a reflection of the deep uncertainty consumers face today. Good intentions aren’t enough when the economic ground feels unstable. That’s why the steady, expert support from NFCC Certified Credit Counselors can make such a meaningful difference for people in these uncertain times.”

The survey was conducted online from Feb. 20 to March 17 among 2,010 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

The survey was funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and released during Financial Literacy Month.

Kaylee Remington is a trending news and metro reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Read her work online.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit cleveland.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

2025-04-29T19:26:19Z