{"id":22606,"date":"2025-12-15T05:31:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/budgetadirect.com\/?p=22606"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:31:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:31:16","slug":"fewer-americans-expect-financial-improvement-in-2026-survey-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/budgetadirect.com\/?p=22606","title":{"rendered":"Fewer Americans Expect Financial Improvement In 2026, Survey Finds"},"content":{"rendered":"<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p>Faced with sticky inflation and a job market that\u2019s losing steam, many Americans are feeling rattled these days. And when it comes to the year ahead, 32% think their personal finances will worsen in 2026, Bankrate\u2019s recent Financial Outlook Survey found \u2014 the highest level of pessimism since 2018, when Bankrate began asking consumers about their financial outlook. Last year, 23% thought their finances would worsen in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Inflation and the current political landscape are common drivers for people\u2019s current negative outlook: Those who expect their personal finances to get worse next year frequently cited continued high inflation (78%) and work done by elected representatives (55%) as the reasons for their concern.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. economic data validates these concerns. Although inflation has come down after peaking at 9.1% in June 2022, prices have climbed around 25% since 2020. And for many, inflation isn\u2019t being offset by higher incomes, as the median household income last year wasn\u2019t statistically different from that of 2019.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"findings\" data-position=\"1\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-1-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Bankrate\u2019s key findings\" data-outcome=\"\">Bankrate\u2019s key findings<\/h2>\n<div class=\"BlockQuote pb-8 BlockQuote--bordered flex flex-col items-center text-center md:text-left md:flex-row gap-3 md:gap-8 mb-8 md:mb-0\">\n<blockquote class=\"BlockQuote-text text-center md:text-left\"><p>\n        <q>Inflation fatigue is real, as Americans prepare to flip the calendar but cannot turn the page. A declining sense of economic optimism comes as the job market has cooled and inflation has remained persistent, with prices broadly still elevated.<\/q><br \/>\n                    <cite class=\"PullQuote-cite text-gray-900 ml-0 md:ml-4\"><br \/>\n                \u2014 Mark Hamrick | Bankrate senior economic analyst<br \/>\n            <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"outlook\" data-position=\"2\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-2-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Americans are less likely to believe their finances will improve in 2026\" data-outcome=\"\">Americans are less likely to believe their finances will improve in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>While many survey respondents expect their finances to worsen in the coming year, the survey found that about one in three (34%) Americans felt their financial situation would improve next year, which is down from last year\u2019s survey when 44% said they expected improvement. Another 34% said they felt their situation would stay the same next year.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/eb386610-5537-4ae8-b723-7f2e5b5f8c83?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"2025 December FSP viz 1\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Across generations, those who don\u2019t expect their finances to get better next year include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>54% of Gen Z (ages 18-28)<\/li>\n<li>60% of millennials (ages 29-44)<\/li>\n<li>69% of Gen X (ages 45-60)<\/li>\n<li>76% of baby boomers (ages 61-79)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Those who think their finances will improve include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>46% of Gen Z<\/li>\n<li>40% of millennials<\/li>\n<li>31% of Gen X<\/li>\n<li>25% of baby boomers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>* Due to rounding, figures might not total 100%.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The rise in pessimism this year was measured across party lines. The number of Republicans who said their personal finances would get better in the following year declined to 44% in the latest survey, down from 62% in a similar survey that ran the same time last year. Meanwhile, 37% of Democrats felt that their financial situation would worsen next year, up from 30% in last year\u2019s poll.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inflation\" data-position=\"3\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-3-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Continued high inflation is a top worry\" data-outcome=\"\">Continued high inflation is a top worry<\/h2>\n<p>The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a common measure of inflation, has been creeping up in recent months and hit 3% in September \u2014 the highest level since the start of 2025. As a result, household budgets are stretched thinner with increasing prices on everything from groceries and apparel to furniture and car repairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A majority of those (78%) who thought their finances would worsen next year said they felt that way because of continued high inflation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Other significant reasons include work done by elected representatives (55%), stagnant or reduced income (46%) and the amount of debt they have (25%).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/d44c14aa-2c0f-48c9-93fc-b41d252aa1a3?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"2025 December FSP viz 2\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Of those who think their financial situation will improve next year, nearly half (47%) say it\u2019s thanks to rising income. That compares to 35% who cited this reason a year ago. Other top reasons why Americans think their finances will improve include better spending habits (40%), having less debt (37%) and making more money from savings or investments (30%).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/5d43d104-3ce9-45d5-9ed0-02433151c6e2?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"2025 December FSP viz 3\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"debt\" data-position=\"4\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-4-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Reducing debt remains a top financial goal for next year\" data-outcome=\"\">Reducing debt remains a top financial goal for next year<\/h2>\n<p>The most common main financial goal cited by Americans for 2026 is paying down debt (19%), and that percentage tends to rise with age. By generation, that breaks down to:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>9% of Gen Z<\/li>\n<li>16% of millennials<\/li>\n<li>24% of Gen X<\/li>\n<li>25% of baby boomers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cThat more senior Americans are most focused on attacking their debt levels shows how costly and pernicious debt can be, particularly the highest cost debt, which results from credit cards,\u201d Hamrick says. \u201cIt is prudent to shed this debt where possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Credit card annual percentage rates (APRs) currently average around 20%. And nearly half of credit cardholders (46%) are carrying a credit card balance, according to Bankrate\u2019s Credit Card Debt Survey.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/07ccb67a-b82f-493e-8b3c-7429d8a7a915?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"2025 December FSP viz 4\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Getting a higher paying job or an additional source of income is the second most common main financial goal for Americans (14%), followed by saving more money for emergencies (13%) and budgeting spending better (12%).<\/p>\n<p>One in 10 Americans (10%) have no financial goals for 2026, with baby boomers most likely to say they do not have them:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gen Z: 6%<\/li>\n<li>Millennials: 9%<\/li>\n<li>Gen X: 8%<\/li>\n<li>Baby boomers: 14%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"priorities\" data-position=\"5\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-5-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Many plan to address their main financial goal right away\" data-outcome=\"\">Many plan to address their main financial goal right away<\/h2>\n<p>Of those who told Bankrate they have a main financial goal, 44% said it\u2019s a New Year\u2019s resolution they\u2019ll address right away.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, nearly one-third (35%) said they\u2019ll address their goal once they\u2019ve had time to think and plan, while 12% said it\u2019s a long-term issue they\u2019ll address after doing research or seeking advice. Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) said they don\u2019t know how they\u2019ll address their main financial goal in the coming year.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/fbbc459b-f73c-495a-ae52-4ecd15a76369?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"2025 December FSP viz 5\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 data-position=\"6\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" data-id=\"br-h2-6-onpage-placement\" data-type=\"h2\" data-location=\"Editorial\" data-name=\"h2_all\" data-text=\"Bottom line\" data-outcome=\"\">Bottom line<\/h2>\n<p>Bankrate\u2019s Financial Outlook Survey for the year 2026 shows the number of Americans who are pessimistic about their personal finances has risen to the highest level in at least the last eight years. Americans are feeling less optimistic about their finances, fueled by factors such as inflation and stagnant or reduced income.<\/p>\n<p>Consumers\u2019 worries aren\u2019t unfounded, considering prices continue to rise while incomes don\u2019t seem to keep pace. As household budgets become stretched increasingly thin, Americans are prioritizing goals of paying down debt, saving money for emergencies and finding additional sources of income.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith so many Americans looking to find a better-paying job or other form of income boost, here\u2019s hoping that the job market remains sufficiently resilient that their hopes will be realized,\u201d Hamrick says. \u201cThe risk is that unemployment rises before it makes a meaningful move lower, which will translate to added financial pressure and stress for individuals and households.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul class=\"Accordion w-full align\">\n<li x-id=\"['panel-methodology', 'heading-methodology']\" x-data=\"{ expanded: 0 }\" class=\"Accordion-item\">\n<button class=\"Accordion-titleContainer py-4 px-3 sm:px-6 group sm:py-6\" type=\"button\" :id=\"$id('heading-methodology')\" :aria-controls=\"$id('panel-methodology')\" :aria-expanded=\"expanded ? true : false\" x-on:click=\"expanded = !expanded\" :data-outcome=\"expanded ? 'open_accordion' : 'close_accordion'\"><!-- htmlmin:ignore --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"Accordion-title my-0 mr-2 md:flex-1\">\n    Methodology<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<p><!-- htmlmin:ignore --><span class=\"Accordion-icon Icon mb-0 block leading-none Icon--sm icon-base-blue-600\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><default:svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"Icon-glyph\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\" focusable=\"false\"><default:title>Caret Down Icon<\/default:title><br \/>\n<default:path d=\"M12 17.152c-.33 0-.675-.131-.94-.378L3.384 9.09a1.32 1.32 0 0 1 0-1.86c.51-.51 1.351-.51 1.862 0L12 13.977l6.755-6.747c.51-.51 1.351-.51 1.862 0 .51.51.51 1.35 0 1.86l-7.694 7.684a1.295 1.295 0 0 1-.94.378H12Z\" class=\"icon-base\"\/><\/default:svg><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"Accordion-contentWrapper\" :id=\"$id('panel-methodology')\" :aria-labelledby=\"$id('heading-methodology')\" x-show=\"expanded\" x-collapse=\"\" role=\"region\" style=\"height: 0; overflow: hidden; display: none;\">\n<p>\n            Bankrate commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,539 U.S. adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between November 3-5, 2025. The survey was carried out online and meets rigorous quality standards. It gathered a non-probability-based sample and employed demographic quotas and weights to better align the survey sample with the broader U.S. population.\n        <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"HelpfulCTA mx-auto flex flex-col items-center gap-6 my-6 py-12 text-base border-y border-gray-200\" data-helpful-cta=\"\" data-beam-element-viewed=\"\" id=\"did-you-find-this-helpful\" data-type=\"cta\" data-location=\"article-bottom\" data-position=\"banner\" data-text=\"Did you find this page helpful?\">\n<div class=\"HelpfulCTA-initial w-full flex flex-col items-center gap-4\" data-cta-initial=\"\">\n<div class=\"HelpfulCTA-question text-lg font-bold text-center text-gray-900\">\n            Did you find this page helpful?<\/p>\n<div id=\"5ufljcNvxB\" class=\"hidden\">\n<div class=\"wysiwyg wysiwyg--sm wysiwyg--flush max-w-xs\">\n<p class=\"mb-6 text-base\">\n                            <strong class=\"block font-bold text-gray-900\">Why we ask for feedback<\/strong><br \/>\n                            Your feedback helps us improve our content and services. 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href=\"https:\/\/www.bankrate.com\/banking\/financial-outlook-survey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" rel=\"nofollow\">here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Faced with sticky inflation and a job market that\u2019s losing steam, many Americans are feeling rattled these days. And when it comes to the year ahead, 32% think their personal finances will worsen in 2026, Bankrate\u2019s recent Financial Outlook Survey found \u2014 the highest level of pessimism since 2018, when Bankrate began asking consumers about<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-22606","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-homes"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Fewer Americans Expect Financial Improvement In 2026, Survey Finds | BudgetADirect<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Faced with sticky inflation and a job market that\u2019s losing steam, many Americans are feeling rattled these days. 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