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Many of us worry about our finances on both a day-to-day basis and looking forward to an uncertain future. These worries are often compounded by the economic turmoil surrounding us, but a new survey reveals that a majority of Americans are optimistic about their future.
The Measuring Optimism, Outlook and Direction survey released by the Lincoln Financial Group found that Americans are generally more confident about their health than their finances, which have a greater chance of being negatively affected by the recent economic turmoil and high jobless rate.
"Americans who feel in control of their destinies share a common mindset – one that is focused on positive, constructive behaviors every day," said Mark Konen, president of Insurance and retirement solutions for Lincoln Financial Group. "Nonetheless, we were surprised to learn that Americans feel more in control of their health than their financial futures. Despite the best intentions with diet and exercise, nobody can predict accidents or illnesses, so it's critical to plan one's future with an eye on holistic health and financial well-being."
Of the 803 adults polled, 72 percent said they are "very" or "somewhat" optimistic about their futures, with 66 percent saying they feel like they're in control of their lives. These respondents said they feel at least "somewhat" in control of their personal lives, financial futures and health. Twenty-seven of these respondents said they feel in greater control of their financial futures.
"In fact, the combination of traits that apply to 'take charge' Americans shows that these people strike just the right balance: they value alone time, but also invest in their relationships with friends and family; they enjoy leisure time and taking long walks, but also make time to sit down with their paperwork and adhere to a budget," Konen added.
With many consumers' financial records and bank statements available online, cyber security has become a priority for some, but not enough. A recent Consumer Reports survey revealed that 75 percent of Americans don't use the strongest passwords for their most sensitive accounts. Almost 20 percent of the 1,000 adults surveyed said they used the same password for more than five accounts.
Consumer Reports recommends not using the same password more than once, creating strong passwords with different characters and numbers, avoiding the obvious, and using secure browsers and private computers when conducting financial business.
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