Recent Changes in U.S. Family Finances: Results from the 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances

Using data from the Federal Reserve Board's two most recent Surveys of Consumer Finances, this article provides a detailed picture of changes in the financial condition of U.S. families between 1995 and 1998. The financial situation of families changed notably in the three-year period. Whil...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Federal Reserve Bulletin 2000-01, Vol.86 (1), p.1-1
Main Authors: Kennickell, Arthur B, Starr-McCluer, Martha, Surette, Brian J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Consumer credit
Consumer expenditure
Consumers
Demographic aspects
Demographics
Economic conditions
Economics
Families & family life
Family
Finance
Financial research
Household economics
Income
Income distribution
Influence
Personal finance
Statistical analysis
Studies
Survey analysis
Survey data
Surveys
U.S.A
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Summary:Using data from the Federal Reserve Board's two most recent Surveys of Consumer Finances, this article provides a detailed picture of changes in the financial condition of U.S. families between 1995 and 1998. The financial situation of families changed notably in the three-year period. While income continued a moderate upward trend, net worth grew strongly, and the increase in net worth was broadly shared by different demographic groups. A booming stock market accounts for a substantial part of the rise in net worth, but the data also suggest that improvements in financial circumstances extended to many families that did not own stocks. The indebtedness of families grew, but less rapidly than their assets. Nonetheless, compared with 1995, debt repayments in 1998 accounted for a larger share of the income of the typical family with debt, and the proportion of debtors who were late with their payments by sixty days or more in the year preceding the survey was also higher.
ISSN:0014-9209
1944-8910
DOI:10.17016/bulletin.2000.86-1