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

    1. Middle-class financial resilience improved in 2024, but rising living costs still create challenges.
    2. Strong stock market performance boosted retirement readiness, offsetting slower wage growth.
    3. Financial professionals must emphasize diversification, savings discipline, and personalized strategies.
A&A Editorial Team