Recent surveys reveal a concerning trend in American financial health, with a significant majority of the population living paycheck to paycheck. A 2023 Payroll.org study found that 78% of Americans fall into this category, marking a 6% increase from the previous year. This means over three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after covering monthly expenses. Corroborating these findings, a Forbes Advisor survey in the same year showed that 69% of respondents either live paycheck to paycheck (40%) or don’t earn enough to cover their basic expenses (29%). These statistics underscore the growing financial strain on Americans across all generations as living costs continue to rise faster than wages.