Looking forward to the year ahead, what are Americans planning for their 2026 finances?

Answer:

1. Use credit card rewards
2. Save money for emergencies
3. Pay off one or more debts in full

Questions:

• Which of these actions do you think would be the easiest/ hardest?
• Which of these actions do you think would have the biggest impact?
• Do you have any financial goals for 2026?

Here are the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (Nerdwallet): 

"Americans also plan on taking money steps in the upcoming year with more predictable outcomes. These include using their credit card rewards (46%) and saving money for emergencies (46%), as well as paying off one or more of their debts in full (30%)."

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.

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