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Using Factor Analysis to Assess Financial Vulnerability in the United States
January 16, 2022Abstract: This paper examines the complex nature of financial vulnerability in the United States through the adoption of factor analysis to identify the underlying constructs of financial security. Using data from the FINRA Foundation’s 2018 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS),… Read More »
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Financial Anxiety and Stress Among U.S. Adults: New Evidence From a National Survey and Focus Groups
September 14, 2021Summary: The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the deeply rooted financial insecurity that many Americans face. Our research shows that even before the pandemic hit, and at a time of economic expansion, a large share… Read More »
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Financial Anxiety and Stress among U.S. Households: New Evidence from the National Financial Capability Study and Focus Groups
April 27, 2021Summary: The economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis has brought to light the deeply rooted financial struggles that many Americans face. This paper shows that even before the pandemic, a substantial share of households was already anxious and stressed about… Read More »
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The Stability and Predictive Power of Financial Literacy: Evidence from Longitudinal Data
November 18, 2020Abstract: We administered the FINRA Foundation’s National Financial Capability Study questionnaire to members of the RAND American Life Panel (ALP) in 2012 and 2018. Using this unique, longitudinal data set, we investigate the evolution of financial literacy over time and… Read More »
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The Stability and Predictive Power of Financial Literacy: Evidence From Longitudinal Data
October 29, 2020Summary: We administered the FINRA Investor Education Foundation’s National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) questionnaire to members of the RAND American Life Panel (ALP) in 2012 and 2018. Using this longitudinal data set, we investigate the evolution of financial literacy over… Read More »
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Mind the Gap: Women, Men, and Investment Knowledge
March 19, 2020When surveyed about their investment knowledge, female investors performed poorly compared to male investors. Out of ten questions designed to assess knowledge, on average, male investors correctly answered 5.2 questions while female investors correctly answered 4.1 questions. Moreover, 40% of… Read More »
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New Evidence on the Financial Knowledge and Characteristics of Investors
October 09, 2019Abstract: Increased individual responsibility for retirement saving and investing, together with the growing complexity of financial products, require that investors have financial knowledge and awareness. This report provides evidence of substantial differences across investor types. Workplace-only investors, whose exposure to… Read More »
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Financial Capability of American Adults: Insights from the American Life Panel
February 10, 2017Summary: While providing a wide range of financial capability indicators, the National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) lacks information about important determinants of financial outcomes, such as individuals’ health and cognition, and does not offer a precise, quantitative assessment of critical variables,… Read More »
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The National Financial Capability Study: Empirical Findings from the American Life Panel Survey
November 22, 2016Summary: The National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) is an ongoing study first conducted in 2009. It is commissioned and supported by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the President's Advisory Council on… Read More »
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STUDENT LOAN DEBT IN THE US: AN ANALYSIS OF THE 2015 NFCS DATA
November 14, 2016Summary: According to the study, 54 percent of student loan holders did not try to figure out what their monthly payments would be before taking out loans. And 53 percent said that if they could go back and redo the… Read More »
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The Evolution of Consumer Debt Following the Great Recession: An analysis of data from the 2015 NFCS
August 11, 2016Learn more about the 2015 National Financial Capability Study, a project of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, by clicking here.
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Financial Capability in the United States 2016
July 15, 2016Summary: Financial capability is a multi-dimensional concept that encompasses a combination of knowledge, resources, access, and habits. The NFCS is designed to understand and measure a rich, connected set of perceptions, attitudes, experiences, and behaviors across a large, diverse sample in… Read More »
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FINANCIAL LITERACY AND THE COST OF IGNORANCE
June 18, 2015Listen to the podcast of Lusardi's presentation.
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Hispanic Personal Finances: Financial Literacy and Decisionmaking Among College-Educated Hispanics
May 18, 2015Summary: This report examines the personal finances—assets, liabilities, planning behaviors, financial vulnerability and financial literacy—of college-educated Hispanics, i.e., those with high school degrees who report at least “some college” as their highest level of educational attainment. Many college-educated Hispanics are, in… Read More »
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Hispanic Personal Finances: Financial Literacy and Decisionmaking Among College-Educated Hispanics
May 18, 2015Summary: This report examines the personal finances—assets, liabilities, planning behaviors, financial vulnerability and financial literacy—of college-educated Hispanics, i.e., those with high school degrees who report at least “some college” as their highest level of educational attainment. Many college-educated Hispanics are, in… Read More »
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FINANCIAL LITERACY AND HIGH-COST BORROWING IN THE UNITED STATES
December 31, 2014Abstract: In this paper, we examine high-cost methods of borrowing in the United States, such as payday loans, pawn shops, auto title loans, refund anticipation loans, and rent-to-own shops, and offer a portrait of borrowers who use these methods. Considering… Read More »
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National Financial Capability Study
December 16, 2014Available for download are reports, results tables, questionnaires, methodology, and datasets for the 2021, 2018, 2015, 2012, and 2009 National Financial Capability Study. The study is conducted by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. Click here for the data. … Read More »
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FINANCIAL CAPABILITY NEAR RETIREMENT: A PROFILE OF PRE-RETIREES
October 01, 2014Summary: This report shows how pre-retirees—those between 51 and 61 years of age—face a number of financial challenges. Authors Carlo de Bassa Scheresberg and Annamaria Lusardi use financial capability data from the 2012 National Financial Capability Study to highlight the troubling… Read More »
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Working Women’s Financial Capability: An Analysis across Family Status and Career Stages
August 01, 2014Summary: This study increases our understanding of the unique financial needs of working women by examining key factors associated with their personal finances and identifying issues that are critical to their financial future. The study provides an overview of working women’s… Read More »
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GEN Y PERSONAL FINANCES: A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE AND CAPABILITY
May 01, 2014Summary: Generation Y will leave a lasting imprint on American history. The largest, most diverse generation America has seen, Generation Y comprises millions who were born between the late 1970s and the mid-1990s. While this generation is confident, they face… Read More »
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HELPING GEN Y ACHIEVE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SECURITY
February 01, 2014Summary: They are young, tech savvy, and confident; diverse, connected, and idealistic. And, they face a host of financial challenges. We’re talking, of course, about Gen Y, represented by the 2,124 college-educated respondents age 23 to 35 who took part in… Read More »
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COLLEGE-EDUCATED MILLENNIALS: AN OVERVIEW OF THEIR PERSONAL FINANCES
February 01, 2014Summary: This study has used new data from the NFCS to analyze salient issues related to college-educated Millennials’ financial capability, practices, and status, and in the process identify key financial challenges they face. The results suggest that the promotion of financial… Read More »
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DEBT AND DEBT MANAGEMENT AMONG OLDER ADULTS
September 01, 2013Abstract: Many individuals lack the financial know-how to manage the complex new financial products increasingly available in the financial marketplace. How people borrow and manage debt has become of increasing policy maker concern, given recent evidence on Americans’ over-indebtedness. As… Read More »
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THE FINANCIAL FRAGILITY OF AMERICAN FAMILIES
September 01, 2013Summary: The economic crisis that began in 2007 started a wide-ranging spiral that not only weakened the U.S. economy but also eroded the financial stability of households—exposing the fragility of American families. Stock values dropped, real estate prices plummeted, household wealth… Read More »
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FINANCIAL LITERACY AROUND THE WORLD (FLAT WORLD)
April 01, 2013Summary: Across the world, people are being asked to assume more responsibility for their financial well-being. Because of changes in the pension landscape, notably a shift from defined benefit to defined contribution type pensions, individuals must determine not only how much… Read More »
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HOW EMPLOYERS CAN HELP NEW HIRES SAVE FOR RETIREMENT: BEST PRACTICES THAT BUILD LONG-TERM FINANCIAL SECURITY
September 01, 2012Summary: Not all employer-sponsored defined contribution retirement savings plans are created equal—some employer practices and plan designs are more successful than others in helping new hires accumulate a robust retirement nest egg. We reviewed numerous studies conducted by researchers affiliated… Read More »
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Panel Discussion: Directions for Further Research on Financial Literacy
June 21, 2012Watch the video.