Making ends meet a worry even for America's high earners

Making ends meet a worry even for America's high earners
Fed survey finds three-tenths of high-income consumers are concerned about their finances in the next six months.
JUN 26, 2024
By  Bloomberg

Making ends meet in the coming year is a rising concern for US consumers, including among those who make $100,000 or more a year, according to a survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

More than a third of consumers in the survey said they were concerned about making ends meet in the next six months, compared to 28.7% from a year ago. The share of those reporting concern over the next seven to 12 months also climbed. 

Among those able to pay their bills in full in April, more than a quarter said they worry about the next six months, up from a fifth the year before. Higher earners were the most likely of the income groups to be in that category: about 30% of those making at least $150,000 reported being concerned about their finances in the next six months.   

More than two thirds of respondents took some kind of action to cope with increased financial stress over the last year, such as cutting back on spending, skipping monthly bills, or taking an additional job. More than 14% of those earning $150,000 and up said they withdrew money early from their retirement savings.

The share of people already having trouble with their bills is also ticking up, according to the survey of 5,000 US consumers conducted by the Philadelphia Fed from March 22 to April 6. 

When asked about their ability to cover their expenses, 22.5% of respondents indicated that they couldn’t pay some or any of their bills in April. That’s up 2.7 percentage points from a year earlier. Among more affluent consumers the share having trouble more than doubled from 3.4% to 6.9%.

Latest News

In an AI world, investors still look for the human touch
In an AI world, investors still look for the human touch

AI is no replacement for trusted financial advisors, but it can meaningfully enhance their capabilities as well as the systems they rely on.

This viral motivational speaker can also be your Prudential financial advisor
This viral motivational speaker can also be your Prudential financial advisor

Prudential's Jordan Toma is no "Finfluencer," but he is a registered financial advisor with four million social media followers and a message of overcoming personal struggles that's reached kids in 150 school across the US.

Fintech bytes: GReminders and Advisor CRM announce AI-related updates
Fintech bytes: GReminders and Advisor CRM announce AI-related updates

GReminders is deepening its integration partnership with a national wealth firm, while Advisor CRM touts a free new meeting tool for RIAs.

SEC charges barred ex-Merrill broker behind Bain Capital private equity fraud
SEC charges barred ex-Merrill broker behind Bain Capital private equity fraud

The Texas-based former advisor reportedly bilked clients out of millions of dollars, keeping them in the dark with doctored statements and a fake email domain.

Trump's tax bill passes senate in hard-fought victory for Republicans
Trump's tax bill passes senate in hard-fought victory for Republicans

The $3.3 trillion tax and spending cut package narrowly got through the upper house, with JD Vance casting the deciding vote to overrule three GOP holdouts.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.