So far, so so

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, most Americans are "moderately upbeat about their family's financial prospects in the coming year." The survey found a majority expecting a degree of improvement in 2007.

Among the group that says they don't earn enough now, most expect to earn enough in the future to lead the life they want. Just 18% of all employed respondents in the survey say both that they don't make enough now and that they don't expect ever to make enough to have the life they want.

The least optimistic group is 65 and older, mostly retired and mostly feeling "their financial situation will stay-the-course or get worse."

Though moderately optimistic, the majority of survey respondents write the biggest problems they face are financial concerns, and forty percent feel their family's income is falling behind the cost of living. An alarming "four-in-ten (38%) adults and 32% of all workers say they have no retirement plan other than Social Security."

Most Americans Moderately Upbeat About Family Finances in 2007
(January 2007, pdf, 21pp/200kB)