Survey: More Americans Concerned About Finances than Economy

A recent survey found two out of three Americans are more concerned about their finances today than they were at the beginning of the financial crisis two years ago. The survey, conducted by the Certified Financial Planners (CFP) Board, also found 44 percent of Americans expect the U.S. economy to improve in the next six months, while only 28 percent expect conditions to worsen.

Other highlights of the CFP survey include:

* Slightly more than one-third of Americans (37 percent) expect to see their personal finances improve in the next six months versus less than half (46 percent) who expect to hold onto what they currently have and 16 percent who expect to lose money.

* 80 percent of Americans say that Congress and regulators have not done enough “to deal with the financial market problems and their impact on American investors.”

* When asked to describe how they feel about their personal finances, the number-one response was “cautious” (33 percent), followed by “calm” (26 percent), “concerned” (25 percent), and “hopeful” (25 percent). Respondents could select multiple responses.

Source: Certified Financial Planners Board of standards