Senior Advisor and Research Fellow, Consumer Finance Institute
May 2026
This report is part of a quarterly series on key observations from the Labor, Income, Finances, and Expectations (LIFE) Survey. Data from the survey provide insight into consumers’ recent financial lives and their future expectations.
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The data presented in the April 2026 LIFE Survey Report show less optimism about income for the coming year along with continued negative sentiment compared with last year. We note several key observations about consumers’ financial lives over the past 12 months, including:
Net optimism about income decreased significantly among younger and higher-income respondents in April 2026 compared with last year, while it increased among older and low-income respondents.
The share of respondents who lost access to benefits has increased over the last 12 months, while disruptions relating to housing costs have decreased.
Fewer respondents expressed concerns about making ends meet in the next six months compared with last year.
Respondents’ net sentiment decreased to the lowest level since the survey began, with the largest decreases seen among higher-income and older respondents.
Download expanded data tables featured in the April 2026 LIFE Survey Data Report here.
