Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Investor Relations
  • Journalists
  • Agencies
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • All Public Company
      • English-only
      • News Releases Overview

      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
      • Multimedia Gallery Overview

      • Trending Topics

      • All Trending Topics
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • All Automotive & Transportation
      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • Auto & Transportation Overview

      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • All Business Technology
      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • Business Technology Overview

      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • All Entertain­ment & Media
      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • Entertain­ment & Media Overview

      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • All Financial Services & Investing
      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • Financial Services & Investing Overview

      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • All General Business
      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • General Business Overview

      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • All Consumer Technology
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • Consumer Technology Overview

      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • All Energy
      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • Energy & Natural Resources Overview

      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • All Environ­ment
      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • Environ­ment Overview

      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing Overview

      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • All Telecomm­unications
      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • Telecomm­unications Overview

      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • All Consumer Products & Retail
      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • Consumer Products & Retail Overview

      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • All Entertain­ment & Media
      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • Entertain­ment & Media Overview

      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • All Health
      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • Health Overview

      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • All Sports
      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • Sports Overview

      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • All Travel
      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • Travel Overview

      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • All Policy & Public Interest
      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • Policy & Public Interest Overview

      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • All People & Culture
      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • People & Culture Overview

      • View All People & Culture

      • In-Language News

      • Arabic
      • español
      • português
      • Česko
      • Danmark
      • Deutschland
      • España
      • France
      • Italia
      • Nederland
      • Norge
      • Polska
      • Portugal
      • Россия
      • Slovensko
      • Suomi
      • Sverige
  • Explore Our Platform
  • Plan Campaigns
  • Create with AI
  • Distribute Press Releases
  • Amplify Content
  • All Products
  • General Inquiries
  • Editorial Bureaus
  • Partnerships
  • Media Inquiries
  • Worldwide Offices
  • Hamburger menu
  • PR Newswire: news distribution, targeting and monitoring
  • Send a Release
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us

      888-776-0942
      from 8 AM - 10 PM ET

  • Send a Release
  • Client Login
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
    • Trending Topics
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Client Login
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • Explore Our Platform
  • Plan Campaigns
  • Create with AI
  • Distribute Press Releases
  • Amplify Content
  • All Products
  • Send a Release
  • Client Login
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS
  • General Inquiries
  • Editorial Bureaus
  • Partnerships
  • Media Inquiries
  • Worldwide Offices
  • Send a Release
  • Client Login
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • RSS

Caught by Surprise: Half of Americans' Financial Security is Worse Since Pandemic Began

New COUNTRY Financial Survey Finds Many Americans Prioritizing Day-to-Day Survival Over Long-Term Financial Goals


News provided by

COUNTRY Financial

Apr 29, 2020, 10:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., April 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the United States, shuttering businesses and driving millions to file for unemployment, Americans' finances are being hit harder than ever.  

According to a new COUNTRY Financial® survey, nearly half (49 percent) of Americans say their level of financial security is worse since the COVID-19 pandemic began. One-third (33 percent) admit they were not financially prepared for a pandemic.

Continue Reading
Americans Shift Priorities & Rely on Stimulus Checks to Get By
Americans Shift Priorities & Rely on Stimulus Checks to Get By

While the pandemic has set many Americans back, it also presents an opportunity to regroup and get on the right financial track.

"If you haven't developed a financial plan, now is the time to kick planning into high gear and assess what your short-term and long-term goals are," said Troy Frerichs, Vice President of Investment Services at COUNTRY Financial. "If you have developed a plan but haven't been good about keeping to your goals, now is the time to re-commit and work on developing better personal financial habits."

Americans Shift Priorities & Rely on Stimulus Checks to Get By

In light of the recent pandemic, many Americans are prioritizing day-to-day survival over long-term financial goals. The survey found that approximately 4 in 10 (45 percent) Americans say their top financial goal since the pandemic hit is to pay day-to-day expenses, followed by saving for an emergency fund (27 percent), saving for retirement (16 percent) and investing in the stock market (5 percent). 

Americans' plans for their stimulus checks also reflect these changing priorities, with most who expect a check saying they'll spend it on everyday expenses (38 percent), while others plan to put the funds towards a mortgage or rent (15 percent). Only 22 percent plan to save or invest their stimulus check.

"This is an incredibly difficult time for so many Americans because we have never experienced a pandemic like this before," Frerichs continued. "At a time when we feel like so much is out of our control, we have to focus on what is in our power, which is how much we spend and what we save. Cut spending where you can and concentrate on paying bills on time to avoid a buildup of debt and fees that will have to be paid later."

Ways to Take Your Finances into Your Own Hands

While so much remains uncertain, Americans still have the power to take the following steps to improve their finances during this time:

  • Develop a budget: The pandemic is forcing many Americans to make hard choices – particularly cutting expenses – so it's more important than ever to use this time of uncertainty to establish a budget and commit to living within your means.
  • Create an emergency fund: Many Americans struggled to build an emergency fund even before the pandemic, but an emergency fund is now more important than ever. If our current financial situation gets worse before it gets better, Americans need to have money set aside that they can lean back on in a last resort. If you don't currently have an emergency fund, try to set aside as much as you can every month and aim to build enough to cover between three-six months of living expenses.
  • Explore opportunities to lower interest rates: The pandemic has led to lower interest rates, which may provide a great opportunity for some to get closer to their financial goals, such as paying off debt or lowering a mortgage payment. Connect with a financial representative and lenders to explore all of your options; just be sure to read the fine print and take any associated costs into consideration before making any decisions.
  • Evaluate your long-term goals: While many of us are just thinking about how to get by right now, it's important to look beyond the pandemic as well. Talk with your financial representative about where you stand with your long-term goals and review your strategy for achieving them.

The challenges brought on by the pandemic mean Americans need to be more disciplined than ever when committing to these steps. A financial representative can help by identifying opportunities available to you during the pandemic, putting a plan into place for reaching your short-term and long-term goals, and suggesting strategies to help you stick to that plan.

To learn more, visit the COVID-19 information page on the COUNTRY Financial website.

About the COUNTRY Financial Security Index®   

Since 2007, the COUNTRY Financial Security Index has measured Americans' sentiments of their personal financial security. The Index also delves deeper into individual personal finance topics to better inform Americans about the issues impacting their finances. View past surveys in the COUNTRY Financial Security Index newsroom. 

The COUNTRY Financial Security Index was created by COUNTRY Financial and is compiled by Ipsos an independent research firm. Surveys were conducted using Ipsos' KnowledgePanel®, a national, probability-based panel designed to be representative of the general population and includes responses from approximately 1,025 U.S. adults for national surveys. The margin of sampling error for a survey based on this many interviews is approximately +/- 3 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence.  

About COUNTRY Financial®   

The COUNTRY Financial® group (www.countryfinancial.com) serves about one million households and businesses throughout the United States. It offers a wide range of financial products and services from auto, home, business and life insurance to retirement planning services, investment management and annuities.  

Visit COUNTRY Financial on Twitter @HelloCountry, on Facebook @COUNTRYFinancial and on Instagram @countryfinancial.  

About Ipsos Public Affairs    

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks third in the global research industry. At Ipsos we are passionately curious about people, markets, brands and society. We make our changing world easier and faster to navigate and inspire clients to make smarter decisions. We deliver with security, speed, simplicity and substance. We are Game Changers. With offices in 88 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across six research specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public affairs research, and survey management. Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. We develop and build brands. We help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. We test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe. Visit www.ipsos.com/en-us to learn more about Ipsos' offerings and capabilities.  

SOURCE COUNTRY Financial

Related Links

http://www.countryfinancial.com

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

icon3
440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers
icon1
9k+
Digital Media
Outlets
icon2
270k+
Journalists
Opted In
GET STARTED

Modal title

Contact PR Newswire

  • Call PR Newswire at 888-776-0942
    from 8 AM - 9 PM ET
  • Chat with an Expert
  • General Inquiries
  • Editorial Bureaus
  • Partnerships
  • Media Inquiries
  • Worldwide Offices

Products

  • For Marketers
  • For Public Relations
  • For IR & Compliance
  • For Agency
  • All Products

About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Become a Publishing Partner
  • Become a Channel Partner
  • Careers
  • Accessibility Statement
  • APAC
  • APAC - Simplified Chinese
  • APAC - Traditional Chinese
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czech
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • Middle East - Arabic
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom
  • Vietnam

My Services

  • All New Releases
  • Platform Login
  • ProfNet
  • Data Privacy

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact PR Newswire

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Platform Login
  • ProfNet
Call PR Newswire at
888-776-0942
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookies
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.