My Comments: I saw this headline on an email from a source that see people like me as their target audience. It’s from a company that creats insurance products such as life insurance and annuities for prospective clients.

None of this is bad; I rely on such sources to keep me aware of changes going on, new ideas that surface that can benefit my clients, and so on. The sample size seems reasonable but I have no idea how the questions were designed to get unambiguous results.

Perhaps 75% of my clients are women, many of them widows. They started out as a couple, the husband has passed and they now look to me for advice. And so, YES, this is a commercial message. But guys, we’re on our way out, so please, pay attention! The best answer I can find anywhere comes from the folks who are described in a video I’ve created called “Beyond Buy and Hold.” Click on the attached image to watch it.

By Warren S. Hersch

Most Americans are uncomfortable with their financial situation, lack understanding of financial products, don’t feel prepared for retirement and rarely discuss finances, according to a new report.

Aviva U.S.A., West Des Moines, Iowa, published this finding in a summary of results from an online survey of 2,068 adults aged 18 and older. The survey was conducted in collaboration with The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

The survey reveals that two out of three men report feeling stressed, their financial situation being the primary contributing factor. The survey also shows that two out of three American women are uncomfortable with their financial situation.

Despite those concerns, only about one in five of those surveyed works with a financial services professional; those who do are 130% more likely to feel comfortable with their financial situation than those who do not, the survey finds.

Among the survey’s additional findings:

• People who work with a financial services professional are more than twice as likely to feel comfortable with their current financial situation as those who do not.
• Just one in three respondents feels they are, or will be, prepared for retirement.
• Forty-three percent of people surveyed who own life insurance say they probably don’t have enough.
• Those who do not own life insurance are 45% more likely to feel highly stressed than those who do own life insurance.