The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) Financial Resilience Index, released in January, tells an important story: Middle-class financial resilience is improving but is still far from steady. During Q3 of last year, the Headline Index score, which measures financial resilience by comparing changes in middle-class household costs to changes in their resources, hit 31.8 — up 18 points from the previous year — marking the fifth straight quarter of improvement.
Key takeaways
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- Middle-class financial resilience improved in 2024, but rising living costs still create challenges.
- Strong stock market performance boosted retirement readiness, offsetting slower wage growth.
- Financial professionals must emphasize diversification, savings discipline, and personalized strategies.
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