Stability Over Status: How Americans are Redefining Financial Success.
Insights and executive summary from KeyBank’s 2026 Financial Mobility Survey.
The 2026 KeyBank Financial Mobility Survey captures a pivotal moment in American financial behavior. Beyond the headlines of economic stress, Americans are strategically recalibrating their entire approach to money. Explore our executive summary of the survey for key findings and hear more insights from Dan Brown, Executive Vice President and Director of Consumer Product Management for KeyBank.
Keybank's 2026 Financial Mobility Survey reveals compelling insights in terms of how Americans are managing financial stress.
Though our survey shows that 68% of consumers are feeling financial stress, many are funneling that into purpose and building resiliency for the long term.
Our survey also shows that financial stability continues to be a top priority for many of us.
63% agree that thriving in America means having financial stability, causing them not just to save money but also to rethink their priorities.
For example, 53% of people are cutting back on lifestyle expenses and 39% of people are re evaluating major life goals like buying a home or getting married.
Consumers are also rethinking their approach to money management, with debt free living emerging as a key financial goal.
In fact, three in four Americans agree that living debt free is essential to financial success.
This begs the question, could debt free living be the new financial luxury?
Here's some tips to move forward on your financial journey and build more financial stability.
Focus on what you can control.
Take a fresh look at your budget.
Maybe start by thinking about unused subscriptions.
Prioritize debt reduction.
Top 5 Survey Findings
- Emergency Preparedness: The ability to handle unexpected expenses is a growing concern with 1 in 4 respondents saying they’re certain they could not come up with $2,000 in an emergency.
- Being Debt-Free Is a New Luxury: Three in four respondents agree that debt-free living is the most important milestone in their definition of financial success.
- Financial “Adulting”: Each generation defines financial maturity its own way. Gen Z is reshaping financial milestones. Gen X feels financially strained. Saying "no" to social plans shows financial maturity for 30% of respondents.
- The Savings Struggle is Real: Despite making daily and weekly trade-offs, many Americans are seeing their savings dwindle. In fact, 66% say they have less in their savings this year compared to last year.
- The Rise of Financial Floats: There's a growing reliance on buy now, pay later services, with 79% of Gen Z, 68% of Millennials, 52% of Gen X, and 25% of Boomers using these programs.
Quick Tips for Financial Stability in 2026
Here are a few strategies to help you strengthen your financial foundation in the year ahead.
Reassess your budget to identify areas for improvement, cut back on expenses where possible, and optimize your spending by canceling unused subscriptions or switching to more affordable brands, for example.
Prioritize debt with the highest interest rates and focus on paying down principal balances.
Starting with small, manageable contributions, set aside funds for unexpected expenses to give yourself a cushion.
Carefully evaluate the terms of any financial product, account, or tool, considering the long-term implications of your choices — especially when considering using buy now, pay later programs.
