Majority of Americans Ill-Prepared for Financial Disaster
In the event of an emergency, 40% of Americans will need to sell something off or take out a loan to raise $400. A 2017 survey of 12,000 people by the Federal Reserve indicates that retirement is far from rosy for most Americans. Why is that so? It is because 40% of working adults believe they’ll have enough when retired with 25% having no pension or retirement savings. Plus, one out of four adults can’t access medical treatment due to a lack of funding. Evidently, this situation is a cause for concern as the importance of having sufficient funds to depend on when things go wrong can’t be overstated.
Nonetheless, the situation isn’t hopeless. Approximately ¾ of retired Americans indicate satisfaction with the life they’re living. This figure is 10 points higher than the 2013 figure of 50% adults without $400 in emergency savings. But putting more funds into a savings account on payday can help turn this trend around. An aside: individuals hooked on opioids have a less favorable assessment of the economy among other factors.
How Much Does the AverageAmerican Have in a Checking Account?
Despite the above being true nonetheless, those in debt may have some funds stashed away somewhere. According to a 2014 Moebs Services report, on average Americans have a total of $4,436 stashed in banks. This figure represents saving account averages though it is a significant increase over 2012 figures. What’s more surprising is that this figure is higher than in 2007 before the Great Recession.
In 2007, Americans on average had $788 in checking accounts. What is responsible for this transformation? Today, individuals prefer having cash in hand to meet immediate expenses rather in investments or savings accounts. In turn, this doesn’t make people anymore richer than they are even though the economy is doing much better.
How Much Does the Average American have in a Savings Account?
Although average Americans have cash in checking accounts, the picture isn’t so when it comes to other investments or savings. Much hullabaloo has been going on about America’s retirement crisis as lots of Americans are heading into retirement without savings or investments. To top that, many more don’t make enough to cover living expenses making it hard for this group to even save. In 2015, a GOBankingRates survey highlighted the seriousness of the situation. Data from the survey indicates that 62% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings. And 21% lack a savings account. Many other studies the same sentiments. For instance, a report by the FederalReserve found out that 31% of 4,000 respondents have no credible pension or savings. This figure includes19% of people between the ages of 55 to 64 with 25% having no clue as to how they will foot their retirement expenses.
Strengthening Your Financial Position
Perhaps, you are reading this and wondering where you belong. You should be aware that various factors can impact how much liquidity you accumulate. So, avoid comparing yourself to your family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors. But now is the time to evaluate your own personal ground.
To begin with, you need to develop a personal financial budget. Doing so entails that you consider your income while carefully analyzing your monthly expenses. In case your expenses outstrip your revenue, you need to make adjustments in your lifestyle to save more. Typically, this is easier to say than do. But if you can minimize your expenses, you will have flexibility.
Keep it in mind that your goal is to start saving. Many strategies are available to help you achieve this goal. One most important requirement is building an emergency stash. Basically, this is a savings account that holds the liquidity you need to cover expenses for several months. Before you realize you will have substantial savings giving much-needed peace of mind.
