Gauging the State of Financial Capability in the U.S.

FINRA Foundation National Financial Capability Study (NFCS)

Adults in the United States must grapple with a bewildering variety of financial decisions—ranging from choosing a bank and managing debt to planning for retirement and purchasing insurance. This complex set of challenges requires a combination of skills, judgment, and resources. Even the simplest of these decisions require at least some basic financial knowledge and competency, while the more complicated decisions are challenging even for experts.

The FINRA Foundation’s National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) provides important insights into the financial capability of U.S. adults—including financial knowledge, resources, access, experience, and attitudes—to help decision makers at all levels understand the financial circumstances and needs of households in communities around the country. The NFCS was initiated in 2009 as the first national study of the financial capability of adults in the United States and is collected every three years, deepening the exploration of timely topics with each new wave.

Americans share their experiences with money

2021 NFCS Highlights
Explore key insights into Americans’ financial capability revealed in the latest wave of the National Financial Capability Study.
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Using the NFCS Data
Access NFCS datasets, questionnaires, and methodological documents, and learn how to maximize use of the data through a variety of tools and training resources.
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Financial Capability Insights: What the NFCS Reveals
Read a series of briefs based on NFCS data exploring different aspects of financial capability and how these vary across different populations in the U.S.
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