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Report
Job Losses for Younger Workers Recovering Unevenly
This research brief discusses an uneven recovery of jobs for respondents under the age of 36, a situation that is masked by overall improvements in job recovery.
Report
The Lingering Economic Effects of COVID-19
Scientists are discovering that some patients infected with COVID-19 suffer from medical issues well after the virus is gone (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2020).
Report
COVID-19 Relief Programs Have Helped Consumer Financial Well-Being
In response to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government set up a series of programs to help consumers. The first legislation was the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020, followed by other packages throughout 2020, including December’s Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. That legislation provided stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment benefits, small business loans, rental assistance, and nutrition assistance. In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included enhancements to those five programs as well as ...
Working Paper
Savings Versus Debt: The Effects of Survey Question Order on Consumers’ Reported Financial Priorities
Survey after survey indicates that building savings and reducing debt are among the top financial goals for many Americans. However, because of limited resources and inherent trade-offs, achieving these two goals can be challenging and often requires prioritizing one goal over the other. We conduct two survey experiments with national samples of U.S. adults to understand how individuals balance saving and paying off debt, while taking into account survey context and question effects that might influence self-reports of behaviors. Both studies find a significant question order effect, in which ...
Report
CFI COVID-19 Survey of Consumers — Cautious Optimism Reigns in Wave 9
In an effort to gain insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on financial security in the U.S., the Consumer Finance Institute at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is conducting a series of national surveys of consumers that focus on changes in job status, income levels, and personal financial security. Data presented here represent results from the ninth wave of the survey conducted between July 5 and 16, 2021
Report
Consumers Anticipate Long-Lasting Impact from Financial Damage
As part of its effort to understand the economic impact of the pandemic, the Consumer Finance Institute (CFI) surveyed consumers about their economic situations and attitudes. Many of the findings echoed the severe job losses and paycheck disruptions found in the government data and media coverage. A new and interesting takeaway of the survey, however, is the cautious view going forward: When we surveyed consumers in April, a significant share of respondents did not think their finances would recover soon. Many expected to need to decrease their spending or to seek financial assistance in ...
Discussion Paper
How Does Buy Now, Pay Later Affect Customers’ Credit?
This paper explores the relationship between consumers’ use of buy now, pay later (BNPL) and their credit reports. We conduct this analysis to evaluate concerns that BNPL use could negatively affect consumers’ financial health.
Report
Recent Data on Mortgage Forbearance: Borrower Uptake and Understanding of Lender Accommodations
This research brief examines data relating to mortgage forbearance using responses to the January 2021 COVID-19 Survey of Consumers conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Consumer Finance Institute. We study a national sample of 1,172 homeowners with mortgages, who reported the current and past forbearance status of their mortgage and other household credit accounts, discussed their familiarity with and understanding of lender accommodations that might be available to them, and provided their demographic characteristics. Respondents characterize their current employment ...