Workers report lowest level of financial security in 7 years

Read the original at CBS News ↗
Cite

Cerullo, M. (2026, October 15). Workers report lowest level of financial security in 7 years. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-worker-financial-security-7-year-low/

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CBS News · collected 2026-10-15 · by Megan Cerullo

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Story summary

As of October 15, 2026, financial security among U.S. employees dropped to its lowest level in seven years, falling from 46% to 36%, according to a survey by Willis Towers Watson (WTW) based on responses from 6,000 U.S. workers. Despite feeling physically better and having stronger social connections, employees' well-being has declined regarding money matters. The survey also found that about one-third of all age groups have postponed or skipped medical or dental appointments due to healthcare costs, even with health insurance coverage. Courtney Stubblefield, a WTW practice leader, highlighted the significant impact of high deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses on workers' financial security.

Written for “Worker Financial Security Drops” on 2026-10-15, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.
Reading Leans left (beta estimate) Confidence high
Leaning: leans left for article 83114 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-15

Story

📰 Worker Financial Security Drops
Economy/Business · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

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Claims extracted
21
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
14%
3 of 21 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
66/100
CBS News's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Economy/Business
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-15 · how these are computed

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Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

CBS News · 2942 article(s) · 6 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 6 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Megan Cerullo
21 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Financial security among U.S. employees dropped from 46% to 36% in 2026, its lowest level in seven years, according to a survey of 6,000 U.S. employees by benefits company Willis Towers Watson (WTW).
🔮 AI companies are facing a dilemma between promoting the technology's capabilities as more experts are about the dangers the tech could pose to society.
🔮 But his campaign promises raised hopes that he would lower consumer prices.
🔮 American Airlines customers will soon be able to mix cash and airline miles to pay for flights.
🔮 Amazon said the money will go toward education, job training, energy affordability, and water and energy preservation, and also fund other local priorities.
🔮 When will Amazon customers get their money?
🔮 Americans traveling for the holidays this year could face sticker shock as high jet fuel costs stemming from the drive up domestic airfares, according to a new forecast.
🔮 The unaccredited program, called the Horowitz Andreessen Academy, will focus its curriculum on teaching people how to build products and services from the ground up using AI.
🔮 Central to the dire warnings about artificial intelligence's potential is the risk that a "swarm" of AI agents could collaborate in nefarious ways, like hordes of digital extras from The Matrix.
🔮 The breach comes as AI's capabilities and vulnerabilities have been thrust into the spotlight, with leading tech developers calling for a slowdown in building AI platforms due to concerns that they could harm people.
Also by Megan Cerullo
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 21 articles by Megan Cerullo →

Topics

American Americans U.S. WTW Willis Towers Watson

Subjects

WTW ORG · 4× Americans NORP · 2× U.S. GPE · 2× American NORP · 1× CBS News ORG · 1× Courtney Stubblefield PERSON · 1× Federal ReserveBetween ORG · 1× Prudential Financial ORG · 1× Stubblefield PERSON · 1× Willis Towers Watson ORG · 1×

Narrative

Across all age groups, about one-third of employees say they put off or skipped a medical or dental appointment in the past year because of concerns over cost, and despite having health insurance, respondents told WTW.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-15
🔮 Financial security among U.S. employees dropped from 46% to 36% in 2026, its lowest level in seven years, according to a survey of 6,000 U.S. employees by benefits company Willis Towers Watson (WTW).
2026-10-15 · CBS News
Workers report lowest level of financial security in 7 years · assertive framing

Claims (21 extracted, 3 hedged)

Rising financial strains on American workers are forcing them to make painful trade-offs, such as skipping medical care, to make ends meet, new research shows. asserted
research → rise → care
Financial security among U.S. employees dropped from 46% to 36% in 2026, its lowest level in seven years, according to a survey of 6,000 U.S. employees by benefits company Willis Towers Watson (WTW). uncertain
security → drop → Watson
While workers report feeling better physically and say their social connections have improved, their sense of well-being has moved in the opposite direction regarding money matters, the firm said. asserted
firm → report → matters
Barriers to healthcare Financial pressures are also changing employees' attitudes toward seeking healthcare, shaping their views on retirement and affecting their performance at work, the survey found. asserted
survey → change → work
Across all age groups, about one-third of employees say they put off or skipped a medical or dental appointment in the past year because of concerns over cost, and despite having health insurance, respondents told WTW. asserted
respondents → say → WTW
"They feel the cost of healthcare is huge and are facing high deductibles and high out-of-pocket costs," Courtney Stubblefield, a WTW health and benefits practice leader, told CBS News. asserted
Stubblefield → feel → News
"Those kinds of features are becoming barriers to them getting the care they need." asserted
they → become → care
Among different age groups, employees in their 40s reported feeling the least financially secure, according to the survey. uncertain
employees → report → survey
Just 30% of workers in their 40s reported feeling financially secure, compared to half of workers 60 and over. asserted
% → report → workers
More than 40% of people in their 40s said they delayed or skipped receiving medical care over money worries — the highest share among all age groups. asserted
they → say → groups
Mid-career workers often balance multiple responsibilities, including caring for both children and aging parents, Stubblefield said. asserted
Stubblefield → balance → children
"These people are more likely to have kids and family healthcare coverage, so it costs more," she said. asserted
she → have → more
"They're also part of what we call the sandwich generation, so they have kids in school or approaching college and are also caring for elderly parents. asserted
they → call → parents
They have peak levels of obligation in that decade. asserted
They → have → decade
Roughly two in three employees expect to be worse off in retirement than their parents' generation, citing healthcare costs as a barrier to saving for retirement, respondents told WTW. asserted
respondents → expect → WTW
Separate research from Prudential Financial recently found that more than six in 10 retirees with at least $500,000 in investable assets do not feel comfortable spending money for enjoyment. asserted
retirees → find → enjoyment
Many cite inflation, the , and healthcare costs as barriers to spending on entertainment in retirement. asserted
Many → cite → retirement
Many older Americans are doing comparatively better than younger people. asserted
Americans → do → people
The 18 million households headed by someone 75 or older have the data. asserted
households → head → data
Americans in that demographic had a median net worth of $504,000 in 2025. asserted
Americans → have → 2025
of any age group nationwide, according to Federal ReserveBetween 2022 and 2025, households headed by 65- to 74-year-olds saw their wealth increase by 37%, the Fed concluded. uncertain
Fed → accord → %
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