06/20/2022 | Press release | Archived content
June 20, 2022
As inflation and interest rates continue to rise, most Americans believe we are heading for a recession. According to the latest COUNTRY Financial Security Index fielded with Ipsos 82% say a recession is likely, and 34% are not financially prepared.
Older generations are most likely to believe a recession is on the horizon, with 87% of Baby Boomers and 83% of Gen X reporting, compared to 69% of Gen Z.
More than half (55%) say they are financially prepared for a recession, with Boomers being the most financially prepared (68%). Nearly half (47%) of Gen Z say they are not financially prepared for a recession.
The state of the current economy is pushing Americans to make financial adjustments, including:
Additionally, levels of financial security are falling. According to COUNTRY Financial surveys fielded over the past year, Americans feel less financially secure in Q3 2022 (53%) compared to Q4 2021 (61%) and Q2 2021 (62%).
Even though many are cutting back, more than half (56%) of Americans say they are not willing to give up at least some part of their current lifestyle if there is a recession; including things like traveling, dining out, and pampering themselves.
On a positive note, 42% say they will still prioritize saving even if a recession happens and if inflation continues to rise. Millennials and Gen Xers are most likely to say they won't give up saving for retirement (37% of each) and setting aside money for general savings (37% of Millennials, and 30% of Gen X).
"The steps Americans should be taking now to get their finances on the right track are not too different from the steps they should always be taking. The difference is that Americans are now facing a variety of economic challenges, and they need to be more disciplined than ever to commit to their financial goals.