10/3: Nearly Two-Thirds Plagued with Financial Woes, But Fewer See Finances Getting Worse

More than six in ten adults nationally — 64% — worry they won’t be able to pay their family’s expenses and bills at least some of the time.  This includes 30% who are always concerned their income won’t meet their expenses and 34% who are worried some of the time.  One in five — 20% — are seldom stressed about covering their bills while 17% never agonize over it.

pen, calculator, and finances

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Women express greater concern than men.  More than seven in ten women — 71% — worry about not being able to pay their family’s bills at least some of the time compared with 55% of men.

However, Americans are cautiously optimistic about the future of their personal family finances.  Fewer residents nationally believe their personal money matters will get worse in the coming year.  When it comes to the status of Americans’ family finances, a majority — 55% — think their financial situation will remain about the same.  28% think their finances will get better while 17% report they will get worse in the next twelve months.  Similar proportions of registered voters share these views.

When McClatchy-Marist last reported this question in August, 49% of residents thought their family finances would be steady, 25% thought they would get better, and 26% believed they would decline.

Regardless of income, level of education, age, race, and gender, there has been a decrease in the proportion of American adults who think their family finances will get worse in the next year.

Table: Concern About Meeting Family’s Expenses

Table: Your Personal Family Finances – Better, Worse, or the Same?

Table: Your Personal Family Finances – Better, Worse, or the Same? (Over Time)

Trend Graph: Rate your personal family finances.

Click on the graph to enlarge the image.

Marist Poll Methodology