Financial planning not among most New Year’s resolutions

Although the top reason that Americans give for ignoring financial planning is a belief that they “don’t make enough to worry about it,” (30 percent) this response was down from 34 percent in 2009 and is the lowest level in the survey’s five-year history. In a bright spot, more people than ever (27 percent) say they already “have a solid financial plan,” up slightly from last year (26 percent) and a full 4 percent higher than the 2009 response.

The Americans surveyed again rank health and wellness as their most important focus area for 2014. At 43 percent, the rate was almost unchanged from 44 percent the previous year. Second most important is financial stability at 30 percent, followed by career/employment (15 percent), education (6 percent) and entertainment/leisure (5 percent). These results were at nearly the same level in preceding years.

The same emphasis can be seen in the resolutions that survey respondents believe they are most likely to keep. Exercise and diet come in first at 43 percent, down slightly from 44 percent last year but still average for the five years of the survey. Managing money better comes in second with 40 percent, also on par with the five-year trend.