More than half of Americans have cried over money. More than a third have gone to bed hungry because they couldn’t afford to eat. Those numbers show up at every income level, including plenty of households where nothing about the day-to-day gives it away.
A study called “The Secret Financial Lives of Americans” surveyed more than 2,000 people about the truth behind their money. It comes from a research firm called Nonfiction Research. The picture it paints is different from what most people show the world. Here are 14 of the most telling numbers, and what they might mean for your own plan.
14 Personal Finance Statistics at a Glance
- 52% of Americans have cried over money
- 37% have gone to bed hungry because they couldn’t afford to eat
- Only 9% of Americans share their savings amount with close friends
- 40% overspend to impress other people
- 43% of partnered Americans have hidden money from their spouse
- 63% have borrowed money from family
- 82% have a credit card, but only 55% have a retirement account
- Nearly half of credit cardholders carry a balance, averaging $6,500
- 48% rely on credit to cover essential living expenses
- Over half feel behind on retirement savings
- The report’s authors argue the industry is missing a “primary care doctor” role for your finances
- 37% can’t cover a $400 emergency expense
- A record 6% of 401(k) savers take a hardship withdrawal each year
- Only 23% have a written financial plan
About this data: Most of the statistics below come from Nonfiction Research’s “The Secret Financial Lives of Americans” study. The rest are drawn from LendingTree, NerdWallet, the Federal Reserve, TransUnion, Vanguard, the National Bureau of Economic Research, Schroders, and one January 2026 news report on a separate survey. Each stat lists its own source so you know where it’s from.
1. 52% of Americans Have Cried Over Money
More than half of Americans have cried over not having enough money at some point. That’s what the Nonfiction Research survey found. The odds go up the less you earn. But plenty of people who look fine on paper have had this moment too.
Money brings up real emotion. Sometimes the uncertainty hits harder than the math itself. That’s true whether your accounts are in great shape or not.
2. 37% of Americans Have Gone to Sleep Hungry Because of Money
Thirty seven percent of Americans have gone to bed hungry at some point because they couldn’t afford to eat. This is happening right now, across income levels most people wouldn’t expect.
If tight months are a regular part of your life right now, building an emergency fund can help. Even small amounts make a real difference over time.
3. Only 9% of Americans Share Their Savings With Close Friends
Only 9% of Americans say they’d tell their three closest friends how much they have in savings, according to Nonfiction Research. Compare that to the 61% who’ll share where they went on their last vacation, or the 51% who’ll show photos from it.
Vacations, big purchases, and where you live are the parts of a financial life people show off. Salary, debt, savings, and retirement balances are the parts almost everyone keeps to themselves.
That gap between the image and the reality can wear on you over time. Ask yourself why you present things a certain way when the truth looks different. Between partners, the same handful of secrets tend to repeat: hidden purchases, secret accounts, debt one partner doesn’t know about.
4. 40% of Americans Overspend to Impress Other People
Almost 40% of Americans have overspent on clothes, shoes, or accessories just to impress someone else. More than a quarter of them are now struggling with debt from those purchases, according to LendingTree.
If this pattern sounds familiar, a good starting point is getting honest about what’s driving it. These 87 questions about your values and money can help you find the real answer. Understanding why budgeting matters gives you a framework for changing the pattern once you see it.
5. 43% of Partnered Americans Have Hidden Money From Their Spouse
More than two in five partnered Americans have hidden financial information from their partner, or lied about it outright. That’s what NerdWallet’s consumer credit card report found. Almost half of all Americans think it’s fine to keep savings your partner doesn’t know about.
Money disagreements can go further than secrecy. A separate survey found 47% of Americans would consider breaking up with a partner or getting divorced over financial problems.
The good news? Families tend to talk more with their adult kids about money than they do with each other. Starting that conversation with a partner doesn’t have to turn into a fight if it starts with curiosity instead of accusation.
6. 63% of Americans Have Borrowed Money From Family
Very few people build financial security on their own. A full 63% of Americans have borrowed money from family at some point, according to Nonfiction Research. Maybe it was a down payment, a tough month, or a bigger investment in their future.
This kind of help doesn’t get talked about much. It’s also more common than most people assume. If family support has shaped your own financial picture, the Boldin Planner can help. Use it to think through gifting, inheritance, and what you want to pass on.
7. 82% of Americans Have a Credit Card, But Only 55% Have a Retirement Account
Only 55% of American families held a tax-preferred retirement account in 2025. Meanwhile 82% of adults had at least one credit card. Both figures come from Federal Reserve research: the 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances and the Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025.
Retirement savings matter a lot more than a credit card ever will. That’s true unless you plan to keep working forever or live on Social Security alone.
8. Nearly Half of Credit Cardholders Carry a Balance, Averaging $6,500
Credit card debt dipped during the pandemic and has been climbing back since. It just topped $1.2 trillion nationwide. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and TransUnion both track this. Cardholders who carry a balance owe about $6,500 on average. Almost half of all cardholders carry one from month to month.
If debt is part of your picture, try comparing payoff scenarios side by side. The Boldin Planner can show you how much faster you get free with a real plan behind you.
9. 48% of Americans Rely on Credit to Cover Essential Living Expenses
Paying for groceries with a credit card and clearing the balance every month is fine. Relying on that credit just to make it to the next paycheck is a different story. That’s the reality for 48% of Americans.
Keeping your expenses below your income is the foundation that everything else gets built on. Without that piece in place, it’s hard to build anything lasting.
10. Over Half of Americans Feel Behind on Retirement Savings
More than 50% of households say they’re behind on retirement savings, even when their life looks stable from the outside. New cars, nice neighborhoods, and a healthy retirement account don’t always come as a package deal.
Here’s the encouraging part. Income tends to grow with age, which often means more room to save later than people expect. There’s still time to make meaningful progress.
11. What’s Missing Is a Primary Care Doctor for Your Money
Nonfiction Research argues the financial industry is missing a role everyone already has for their health: a generalist who knows the full picture and checks in regularly. That’s the financial equivalent of a primary care physician, someone who catches problems before they become emergencies. No single specialist, banker, lender, or advisor, is built to play that part.
The Boldin Planner is built to give you that kind of ongoing relationship with your own numbers. No one is judging your choices along the way. If you’d rather have a person in that seat, a CFP® professional from Boldin Advisors can fill it. The approach works a lot like that same checkup model, focused on your full plan instead of a single product.
12. 37% of Americans Can’t Cover a $400 Emergency Expense
More than a third of Americans don’t have enough set aside to cover a $400 emergency. Covering it often means borrowing, selling something, or calling on family, according to the Federal Reserve’s survey on household finances.
This is why emergency savings come before almost everything else in a solid financial plan. Depending on your age and situation, aim for somewhere between three months and three years of essential expenses in cash.
13. A Record 6% of 401(k) Savers Take a Hardship Withdrawal Each Year
A record 6% of 401(k) plan participants now take a hardship withdrawal each year. That’s according to Vanguard’s How America Saves report. Medical bills and housing emergencies drive most of these. About 13% of active plan participants also carry a loan against their retirement account.
A hardship withdrawal pulls money from a 401(k) or IRA for an urgent need: medical bills, eviction, or funeral costs. You won’t have to repay it. You will owe income tax though, plus a 10% penalty if you’re under 59½ and don’t qualify for an exception. It almost never beats the alternatives.
A retirement account loan follows a separate set of rules. You borrow against your own vested balance and repay it over time, often through payroll deductions. Miss the terms and it gets treated as a taxable withdrawal instead. About 90% of these loans get repaid, according to research from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Automatic payroll deductions make it easy to stay on track. Most defaults happen when someone leaves or loses a job with a balance still outstanding.
If you’re facing this choice, compare it against other options first, like a home equity loan. Then decide what fits your bigger picture.
14. Only 23% of Americans Have a Written Financial Plan
Somewhere between 23% and 33% of Americans have an actual written financial plan, depending on which research you look at. Schroders’ research puts the number at 23%. Another 40% say they’ve done some informal thinking about it, and 37% admit they’ve done none at all.
Here’s the good news. Getting a written plan doesn’t have to be complicated, and it’s the easiest place to start.
What These Numbers Mean for Your Financial Plan
These statistics exist to make one thing clear: whatever you’re dealing with, plenty of other people who look like they have it all figured out are dealing with it too.
Nearly every stat above points back to one starting move. Get your real numbers in one place where you can see them. The Boldin Planner does just that. Organize your accounts, see your full picture, and start making decisions based on what’s true instead of what you’re guessing.
If you’d rather have a person walk through it with you, coaching is a good fit. It pairs you with someone who can check your setup and answer your questions. Want deeper, ongoing guidance? A free discovery session with a CFP® from Boldin Advisors is a good next step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Finance Statistics
What percentage of Americans have cried about money?
More than half of Americans, 52%, have cried at some point because they didn’t have enough money. That’s according to a survey of over 2,000 adults by Nonfiction Research.
How many Americans have gone hungry because of money problems?
Some 37% of Americans have gone to bed hungry at some point because they couldn't afford to eat, according to the same Nonfiction Research survey.
How much credit card debt do cardholders carry on average?
Cardholders who carry a balance owe about $6,500 on average. Almost half of all cardholders carry one from month to month, according to tracking from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and TransUnion.
Do more Americans have credit cards or retirement accounts?
More Americans have credit cards than retirement accounts. About 82% of adults had a credit card in 2025, while only 55% of families had a tax-preferred retirement account, according to Federal Reserve surveys.
