Over the past few weeks, we've highlighted several reports that Americans are growing increasingly uneasy about their financial future.
A recent Gallup survey found that affordability remains the nation's top financial concern for the fifth year in a row, while a separate study from TIAA Institute showed financial literacy falling to an all-time low.
In addition, reports show that more Americans are "unretiring" to keep up with rising living costs, and the latest data from the Federal Reserve confirms that households say their financial situation is deteriorating.
That shift — which has grown since the start of the year — is now reaching levels not seen since the height of the pandemic.
According to the Fed's latest Survey of Consumer Expectations, the share of households that say their financial situation is "much worse" than it was a year ago climbed to 13.3% in May, the highest reading since July 2022.
