With an ocean of resources, investors are surfing their way to confidence

More than 60 percent of Americans believe they are better positioned to achieve their financial goals compared to previous generations, according to Schwab’s eighth annual Modern Wealth Survey.

This optimism was notably strong among Boomers, with 66 percent expressing confidence in their financial futures, closely followed by Gen X at 63 percent, Millennials at 62 percent, and Gen Z at 60 percent.

Schwab’s survey revealed that Americans attribute their improved financial standing to various factors, including more ways to build wealth (50 percent), increased accessibility to investing (46 percent), and a broader range of investment options (46 percent).

Gen Z investors in particular cited improved access to investing as the primary reason for their financial confidence. This generation, starting with those born in the late 1990s, began saving and investing at an average age of 19, significantly earlier than Boomers, who started at 35.

“It’s a very positive sign to see that more Americans than ever before are engaged with their personal finances and taking steps to build long-term wealth, in particular younger generations who are getting started with saving and investing earlier in their lives,” Jonathan Craig, head of investor services at Charles Schwab said in a statement.

The survey indicates that nearly 70 percent of Americans are confident in their investment strategy, pointing to the availability of financial advice and knowledge (51 percent) and the ability to easily research companies and investments (37 percent) as the top reasons for this confidence.

Gen Z confidence levels topped the charts at 71 percent, with early financial education being a significant factor. Over a quarter of Gen Z respondents reported learning about investing in school, significantly more than older generations.

When seeking financial advice, respondents said they prefer professional financial advisors (59 percent) and family or friends (57 percent) over social media platforms (42 percent).

Most Americans do not rely on social media influencers for financial guidance, with 76 percent indicating they do not follow finfluencers. Nearly two-thirds believe social media has had no impact on managing their investments, and only 24 percent feel it has made managing money easier.

Concerningly, the survey also highlights a gap in financial planning, with only 36 percent of Americans saying they have a written financial plan. Among those without a plan, the primary reasons cited are not having enough money (43 percent), the complexity of financial planning (25 percent), and a lack of time (21 percent).

“While we see that Americans are making great strides with their personal finances overall, there is still room for improvement when it comes to more formalized financial planning,” said Rob Williams, managing director of financial planning at Charles Schwab. “Once clients start the process, they realize a financial plan isn’t just a document to file away.”