Spending and Credit

Eighty-percent of parents say that schools should teach money management and budgeting skills.

-- George Chamberlin, North Country Times

One-in-five workers making $100,000 or more lives from paycheck to paycheck.

-- Careerbuilder.com

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, Oct. '06

In a survey by USAA, 86% of teenagers rely on their parents for financial guidance. Meanwhile, 49% of parents say that their own financial knowledge is either “okay” or “terrible.”

-- Money Magazine, Oct. '06

It can take decades to pay off a $3,000 credit card balance by making only the minimum monthly payment.

-- My Vesta Organization

Only 20% of Americans feel confident in their ability to make good investment decisions.

-- Boston Research Group

American households, on average, have saved only $40,000 for retirement.

-- Merrill Lynch, August 2003, Retirement Preparedness Survey

Seventy-two percent of college students have a regular full or part-time job.

-- Capital One

Forty-two percent of employees ages 25 to 34 don’t invest in a 401K.

-- Vanguard

Personal bankruptcy filings in the United States jumped 40 percent in 2007.

-- Washington Post

This year, more people will file for bankruptcy than will graduate college; more Americans will file for bankruptcy than will divorce.

-- Natalie Ghidotti, Feb 2004, In Too Deep

On average, adolescents spend roughly $264 a month.

-- Coinstar, Inc.

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

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

Median student-debt carried by college graduates: $16,432.

-- Kiplinger Oct. '06

Though 80% of college upperclassmen rate themselves as “financially knowledgeable,” many will still make mistakes that could tarnish their credit history.

-- BusinessWeek, 6/27/05

Maximum debt carried by top 8% of student borrowers: $40,000.

-- Kiplinger Oct. '06

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, Dec '06

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

Approximately 40% of families live off 110% of their incomes.

-- The Observer, 1/12/04

Twenty-three percent of Americans have nothing at all saved for long-term goals such as retirement.

-- Northwestern Mutual

Seventy-percent of Americans live from paycheck to paycheck.

-- ComPsych

From a survey of employees from 1,000 different companies, 28% reported that they are “one major setback away from financial disaster.”

-- Money Magazine, Sept. '06

Young adults, ages 18-to-24, are the fastest growing group of bankruptcy declarers.

--Barron's 3/9/09

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, 5/11/09

2008 Debt Trends: 92 million adults graded themselves "C" or below in personal finance.

-- National Foundation for Credit Counseling