The economy is recovering, but things aren’t quite back to normal after the financial crisis. A survey released earlier this year by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) showed that out of the 1,011 American adults included in the results, 51% reported delaying at least one major life decision due to lack of funds. By comparison, in 2007 only 31% of the respondents in this same survey indicated they were holding off on an important life event due to financial constraints.
What Americans Are Holding Back On
Some of the leading decisions being delayed are pursuing a higher education, buying a home, having a medical procedure performed, and retiring. In all of the scenarios listed above, the percentage of those delaying those decisions was nearly or over double the amount of those surveyed in 2007.
Why They’re Holding Back
The survey also looked at the leading financial reasons behind hesitancy of respondents to move forward. They found that a lack of savings was the biggest factor, being cited as a primary reason by 60% of those surveyed. Close runners-up included concerns about the US economy’s health (50%), difficulty paying non-housing related bills (39%), and medical bills (29%).
But there was a silver lining uncovered in the data collected in this survey. Since the financial crisis hit, 85% of those surveyed reported beneficial changes to their financial habits that included following a monthly budget, increasing their rate of savings, and adding to an emergency reserve fund.