From 24/7 Wall St. · Jake FitzGerald · · 1m 30s
A Record 37% of Americans Have No Idea of Next Year's Income
37% of U.S. families can't predict next year's income, Fed survey shows.
In brief
37% of U.S. families can't predict next year's income, Fed survey shows. A record 37% of American families lack clarity on next year's income, signaling growing financial uncertainty. Originally reported by 24/7 Wall St..
Record Income Uncertainty
A record 37% of families told the Federal Reserve they did not have a good idea of their next-year income.
Fed Survey Details
The finding comes from the Fed’s report Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2022 to 2025, built on the 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances.
Survey Purpose
The survey measures forward-looking confidence about future income, not current income levels.
Backward-Looking Measure
The survey also tracks whether a family’s income was unusually high or low compared to a normal year.
2025 vs. 2022 Results
In 2022, 28% of families reported unusual income; in 2025, it dropped to 23%.
Uncertainty Trend
The share of families without a good idea of next-year income has risen in every survey since 2019.
Economic Factors
Unemployment rose from 3.7% to 4.2%, and consumer prices increased at an average annual rate of 3.6% between 2022 and 2025.
Retirement Impact
Families approaching retirement face budgeting, emergency savings, and withdrawal planning challenges due to income uncertainty.
Savings Rate Drop
The personal saving rate fell from 6.9% in Q1 2024 to 4.4% in Q2 2026.
Here's the gist
A record 37% of American families lack clarity on next year's income, signaling growing financial uncertainty.
