Financial satisfaction of people in the U.S. rebounded strongly in the third quarter of the year, according to a new survey by the American Institute of CPAs, reversing the lows in the second quarter in the midst of the recession brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The AICPA’s Q3 2020 Personal Financial Satisfaction Index measured 33.1, representing a whopping 99 percent (16.5 point) increase from the previous quarter. That’s the biggest quarterly increase in the 27-year history of the PFSi, and a complete turnaround from the second quarter, when the index had its largest ever quarterly drop.
Noah Lang is a champion of health care access & coverage for underserved, low-income Americans who are often left out of the traditional employer benefits safety net. He is the co-founder and CEO of Stride Health, which has helped over 3 million gig workers and self-employed Americans access coverage. Stride is building an individualized portable benefits system in concert with brands including Amazon, Uber, DoorDash, Mastercard, Allstate, Oscar and Intuit. Noah collaborated with the US Department of Health & Human Services to help establish a unique public-private sector partnership to expand access to Affordable Care Act health coverage and premium tax credits called "Enhanced Direct Enrollment," which is now used by millions of ACA enrollees. Noah was a President's Scholar at Stanford University where he graduated with a degree in Product Design and was captain of the Stanford Triathlon Team. Noah is a proud father of 2 girls, an avid runner and endurance sports junkie.
Simon C. Mathews, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a researcher focusing on understanding and improving the quality of digital health. He also serves on the clinical advisory board of Vivante Health, a digital health company dedicated to helping employers improve digestive disease outcomes and reduce the cost of care.
Anthony J. Pugliese, CIA, CPA, CGMA, CITP is president and CEO of The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA), an international professional association that serves more than 265,000 global members.
The PFSi is built around various factors, including the labor market. The gains can be mainly attributed to improvements in job openings per capita and underemployment. Those had the biggest impact on increasing the overall PFSi. The biggest factor driving the quarter-over-quarter rally was a 35 percent (37 point) decrease in underemployment. A decrease in underemployment improves overall financial satisfaction in the index. While there was an improvement in underemployment in the third quarter from Q2’s record high, it’s still 117 percent above its level a year ago. For the second consecutive quarter, underemployment is still the biggest negative contributor to the average American’s personal financial satisfaction. The Q3 underemployment level reflects data measured through the middle of September.
“As Americans continue to navigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to remember that the fundamentals of financial planning haven’t changed,” said AICPA PFS Credential Committee chair Dave Stolz in a statement Thursday. “Though the stock market’s record performance is encouraging, 2020 has served as a reminder of the volatile nature of markets. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to play out across the country, investors should weigh their risk tolerance and ensure they have ample cash on hand. Further, a tax-efficient financial plan that includes a diversified portfolio can give confidence that long-term financial goals will remain within reach through this period of extreme uncertainty.”
The coronavirus put millions out of work, prompting job openings per capita to show a record plummet earlier this year. In the third quarter, job openings started to recover, climbing 37 percent (20 points) compared to Q2. That factor is now only 10 percent below its measurement a year ago before the pandemic. The Q3 index comes from July data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
