Stagwell (STGW) Prnewswire·2025-04-29 16:00Core Insights - The 2025 Financial Literacy and Preparedness Survey indicates that pervasive economic and governmental uncertainty is significantly affecting Americans' financial well-being, leading many to feel financially stagnant despite their efforts [1][2][3]. Financial Sentiment - Approximately 53% of U.S. adults feel that no matter how hard they try to improve their financial situation, setbacks always occur [2]. - About 48% of respondents feel they are merely treading water financially, with unexpected expenses posing a significant risk [2]. - One-third of participants (33%) report they are just getting by financially [2]. Economic Concerns - A notable 63% of Americans express concern that partisanship and volatility in the U.S. government will negatively impact their personal finances in the upcoming year [4]. - Additionally, 57% believe that current economic uncertainty makes it impossible to achieve long-term financial goals, and the same percentage finds it more challenging to manage or pay off debt due to this uncertainty [4]. Consumer Confidence - While 65% of respondents rate their ability to make sound personal finance decisions as an A or B, only 56% rate their actual financial state highly, indicating that external pressures are a significant barrier to financial progress [5]. Professional Assistance Gap - Only 5% of Americans experiencing financial problems related to debt would seek help from a professional nonprofit credit counseling agency, equating to approximately 13.1 million adults [6][11]. - The survey highlights the critical need for access to trusted financial guidance amid widespread financial strain and economic uncertainty [6]. Survey Methodology - The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll from February 20 to March 17, 2025, involving 2,010 U.S. adults aged 18 and older, representative of the general population [8].