(NewsNation) — Americans have 10 to 15% more in cash balances than they did in 2019, meaning many are better off than they were during the pandemic — but data also shows their savings are depleting.
JP Morgan Chase & Co., in its “Household Pulse” report, examined 9 million Chase customers from January 2020 through March 2023.
Households saw their combined real checking and savings balance decrease at the end half of last year before rising slightly in March 2023, according to the report.
There were some racial disparities, with Black and Hispanic households seeing consistently lower median cash balances than white and Asian ones, although they did see temporary gains during the pandemic.
Chris Wheat, president of the JPMorgan Chase Institute, told The Washington Post that the COVID-19 pandemic, and the “unprecedented” federal stimulus that stemmed from it, gave people more money.
“From the perspective of an individual household, 2020 is getting farther in the rearview mirror, but you still remember what it was like to have a bigger balance,” Wheat said in the newspaper. “That feeling of ‘I have less’ has certainly intensified, in part because of inflation.”
Inflation has been a hot topic, as it exceeded 9% a year ago, and gas prices averaged $5 a gallon back then. However, the tide is turning: Inflation is down to 3% as of last month, and has been cooling for the 12th straight month. This signals good news for U.S. consumers — but still, some are saying they still don’t feel the effects of slowing inflation.
Recent polling by NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ found inflation still ranks at the top on voters’ list of issues they’re concerned about. A different survey, by Bankrate, stated many Americans have been left feeling financially vulnerable. It would take a salary of roughly $233,000 a year for people polled to feel financially secure, according to Bankrate.