Fidelity® Investments’ study shows more than 80% expect to spend less this holiday season, but look forward to creating new traditions and enjoying the simplicity Â
Top Three Household Concerns: Family Health, Education and Future Financial Security
Silver Linings: Even in the midst of pandemic, Americans are digging deep to stay strong and discover confidence in unexpected places
How are Americans feeling six months into the COVID-19 pandemic? According to Fidelity Investments®’ Moving Forward study, anxiety has been on the rise since social distancing first began—and looking ahead to 2021, nearly 70% do not see stress relief happening. Perhaps as a result, 58% say they are financially preparing differently for the new year. The good news: despite the uncertainty, the study also shows Americans are expressing confidence in their abilities to take on the challenges ahead.
This includes the holidays. Although more than 8 in 10 (82%) expect to spend less this holiday season as a result of the pandemic, there is a lot of holiday cheer to be found. In fact, the majority of Americans are staying positive and say they will roll with the changes and create new holiday traditions—and may even enjoy the holidays more because they’ll be simpler.
Stacey Watson, senior vice president of Life Events Planning at Fidelity Investments discusses the findings of the new study, including how Americans are managing both financially and emotionally with major Life Events such as the upcoming holidays, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Stacey shares tips to help your audience better handle the challenges all of us are facing, both in the next few months and longer term. Among other things, Stacey is prepared to answer the following questions:
What did the study find in terms of Americans’ stress levels right now and what are their top concerns, entering into the new year?
Did the study look at how people are planning for the holidays this year?
Your study reveals that many people are digging deep to stay strong and discovering confidence in unexpected places. What do you mean by this?
Besides handling everyday challenges, people also have to manage life changes, such as job loss and managing a move. Are there any life hacks to help people handle the unexpected?
What can people do to make our new normal less stressful?
 Station Note: This segment is brought to you by Fidelity Investments
About the Fidelity Investments Moving Forward Study
Fidelity’s Moving Forward study presents findings from a nationwide survey of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 18+ who have experienced a listed life event. This survey was fielded in August 2020 by Engine Insights, an independent research firm not affiliated with Fidelity Investments. The results of this survey may not be representative of all adults meeting the same criteria as those surveyed for this study. For additional findings from the study, a Fact Sheet and Infographic can be found on Fidelity.com.
About Fidelity Investments
Fidelity’s mission is to inspire better futures and deliver better outcomes for the customers and businesses we serve. With assets under administration of $8.8 trillion, including discretionary assets of $3.5 trillion as of September 30, 2020, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a diverse set of customers: helping more than 32 million people invest their own life savings, 22,000 businesses manage employee benefit programs, as well as providing more than 13,500 institutions with investment and technology solutions to invest their own clients’ money. Privately held for more than 70 years, Fidelity employs more than 45,000 associates who are focused on the long-term success of our customers. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/our-company.
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