Financial security among U.S. workers slumps to lowest level in 7 years, survey says

October 15, 2026 / 2:46 PM EDT / CBS News

Rising financial strains on American workers are forcing them to make painful trade-offs, such as skipping medical care, to make ends meet, new research shows.

Financial security among U.S. employees dropped from 46% to 36% in 2026, its lowest level in seven years, according to a survey of 6,000 U.S. employees by benefits company Willis Towers Watson (WTW).

While workers report feeling better physically and say their social connections have improved, their sense of well-being has moved in the opposite direction regarding money matters, the firm said.

Financial pressures are also changing employees' attitudes toward seeking healthcare, shaping their views on retirement and affecting their performance at work, the survey found. Across all age groups, about one-third of employees say they put off or skipped a medical or dental appointment in the past year because of concerns over cost, and despite having health insurance, respondents told WTW.

"They feel the cost of healthcare is huge and are facing high deductibles and high out-of-pocket costs," Courtney Stubblefield, a WTW health and benefits practice leader, told CBS News. "Those kinds of features are becoming barriers to them getting the care they need."

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/moneywatch/