Only 20% of Americans feel confident in their ability to make good investment decisions.
-- Boston Research Group
In a survey by USAA, 86% of teenagers rely on their parents for financial guidance. Meanwhile, 49% of parents rate their own financial knowledge is “okay” or “terrible.”
-- Money Magazine
Adults in this country with a net-worth of $1 million or more: 1.2%. High-schoolers who expect to become millionaires by age 40: 39%.
-- Money Magazine
This year, more people will file for bankruptcy than will graduate college; more Americans will file for bankruptcy than will divorce.
-- Natalie Ghidott, In Too Deep
Approximately 40% of families live off 110% of their incomes.
-- The Observer
On average, adolescents spend roughly $264 a month.
-- Coinstar, Inc.
One-in-five workers making $100,000 or more lives from paycheck to paycheck.
-- Careerbuilder.com
Median student-debt carried by college graduates: $16,432.
-- Kiplinger
Ninety-seven percent of workers over the age of 45 regret how they spent their money, in light of how much they could have saved.
-- Oakland Tribune, Money Mondays
It can take decades to pay off a $3,000 credit card balance by making only the minimum monthly payment.
-- My Vesta Organization
American households, on average, have saved only $40,000 for retirement.
-- Merrill Lynch, Retirement Preparedness Survey
Only seven states (Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, and Utah) require students to demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in personal finance before graduating high school.
-- NCEF, Survey of the States
Sixty-four percent of consumers ages 18 to 24 don't know what interest rate they’re paying on their credit card(s).
-- My Vesta Organization
Personal bankruptcy filings in the United States jumped 40 percent in 2007.
-- Washington Post
Only 25% of Americans feel confident in their ability to manage their personal finances.
-- Fleet Boston
Seventy-percent of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck.
-- ComPsych
Forty-two percent of employees ages 25 to 34 don’t invest in a 401K.
-- Vanguard
Young adults, ages 18-to-24, are the fastest growing group of bankruptcy declarers.
--Barron's
Though 80% of college upperclassmen rate themselves as “financially knowledgeable,” many will still make mistakes that could tarnish their credit history.
-- BusinessWeek
From a survey of employees from 1,000 different companies, 28% reported that they are “one major setback away from financial disaster.”