Report · Money

Most Americans expect their personal finances to improve in 2026

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Dec. 22, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026, 73% of Americans said they expect their personal financial situation in 2026 to improve compared with 2025, including 55% who said somewhat improve and 18% who said greatly improve.

About a quarter said they expect their finances to worsen, with 21% who said somewhat worsen and 6% who said greatly worsen (27%).

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

73% of Americans expect their finances to improve in 2026.

Compared to 2025, how do you expect your personal financial situation to change in 2026?

  • Somewhat improve 54.8%
  • Somewhat worsen 21.2%
  • Greatly improve 18.1%
  • Greatly worsen 5.9%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 2.2%

pop_culture

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-12-22 → 2026-01-05
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 2.2%
Module
pop_culture

Source

  • 01
    Most Americans expect their personal finances to improve in 2026reports.verasight.io/reports/2026-predictions-survey-2025-183

Citation

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183, fielded December 22, 2025-January 5, 2026, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 2.2%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/2026-predictions-survey-2025-183#q-43

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.