Which scares you more: running out of money, or actually dying?
Four years ago, 57% of Americans said they feared running out of money more than dying. Now it's 67%. That's not a small shift for the people actually living it.
I keep trying to figure out what changed in that window. Prices, definitely. But also just a general sense that the old safety nets aren't as sturdy as they used to be.
💌 Does that surprise you, or does it just confirm something you already knew?
Here’s what’s inside:
P.S. If you want to talk through your own finances, you can book a free 1-hour coaching session here ☎️
Did you know…?
How many times can you fold a dollar bill before it tears?
(Actual answer at the end of the newsletter 👇)
Americans worry more about running out of money than actually dying
67% of Americans now say they're more afraid of outliving their savings than they are of dying. Four years ago that number was 57%. In four years, a lot of people quietly changed their minds about what scares them more.
Gen X felt it hardest, with 73% saying the same thing. And honestly, when you sit with why, it tracks. They're the first generation retiring with barely any pension access, and a lot of them are also covering costs for aging parents, plus adult kids who haven't quite launched yet. Their parents had a safety net built for them. Gen X is building theirs from scratch, while also propping up two other generations at the same time.
If any of this sounds like your situation, here's where I'd actually start:
📌 Run the real number, not the vague fear. A rough "how long will this actually last me" calculation beats carrying around a fuzzy, nonstop worry. You can plan against a figure, but you can't really plan against a hunch.
📌 Get specific about whose money is whose. If you're supporting parents or kids financially, write down what's actually yours versus what you're giving away each month. Seeing it on paper makes it a lot easier to hold a boundary.
📌 Think past savings, toward guaranteed income. No pension means the goal isn't just "big number in an account," it's "something that pays me every month." That could be Social Security timing, an annuity, or just part-time work later on.
📌 Say the worry out loud to someone. It's wild how much smaller retirement anxiety gets once you're not the only one carrying it. A partner, a friend, even us.
Want to actually map out what this looks like for your specific situation?
The Personal Finance Meter
🚨 Take action
AI is already reshaping when older workers get pushed out
New research from Boston College finds AI exposure is now linked to workers 55+ leaving their careers earlier than expected, not just entry-level grads like the usual headlines.
Source📌 Pay attention
Weddings just got a lot more expensive
Wedding-related spending jumped 8.5% year over year, and it's not just splurging, tariffs are hitting flowers, catering and apparel too.
Source👀 Keep an eye
The income gap is quietly narrowing
Lower-income wage growth hit 4.1% in June, the fastest pace in three years, nearly catching up to what higher earners are seeing.
Source👌 Looking Up
Younger generations are breaking the money taboo
62% of Gen Z adults say money was openly discussed in their home growing up, compared to just 49% of Boomers, and millennial parents are about 27% more likely to talk money with their kids than their own parents were.
SourceThe Panic Meter reflects our editorial read on urgency — not financial advice.
Make your brain lock in
By the numbers
$93 trillion → $36 trillion
How much of the "Great Wealth Transfer" actually reaches heirs
That $93 trillion number gets thrown around a lot, and it makes it sound like millennials and Gen X are all about to inherit a small fortune. The real number is closer to $36 trillion once you factor in the debt boomers are still carrying, decades of their own retirement spending, and the taxes and fees that chip away at an estate before it ever reaches you. If you're counting on an inheritance as part of your retirement plan, it's worth having an actual conversation with your parents about what's really there, instead of guessing.
$235/week
What the USDA says a family of four should be spending on groceries
That's the "thrifty plan," which is USDA-speak for the bare minimum, not a realistic number for most families. It assumes you're cooking everything from scratch, never eating out, and hitting sales consistently. If your grocery bill is higher than that, you're not doing anything wrong. Most families land well above this number, it's really more of a floor than a target.
$1,000
The free money sitting unclaimed for millions of eligible kids right now.
This is tied to the new Trump Accounts program, and a lot of eligible families haven't claimed it yet, mostly because they don't know it exists. If you've got a kid who qualifies, it's worth ten minutes to check your eligibility and get it set up.
Need to talk numbers? We can help you sort out your money.
Poll answer
C) About 4,000 double folds
A dollar bill is a lot tougher than paper. That's because it's not really paper at all, it's roughly 75% cotton and 25% linen, which is closer to fabric than the stuff your printer uses. That blend is what lets a bill survive being crumpled in a pocket, run through the wash, and stuffed into a wallet thousands of times before it finally gives out.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing pegs it at about 4,000 double folds, first forward and then backward, before a note actually tears.