5 signs you're doing better financially than the average American

Here are 5 signs you're doing better financially than the average American. Number one, you have any sort of emergency savings. Nearly 40% of Americans say they couldn't afford an emergency expense over $400 and about one in five Americans have zero emergency savings at all. Being able to cover a surprise car repair or medical bill in cash puts you firmly above average. Number two is your household income is above $84,000. The median household income in the US is about 84k. The median is just the point where 50% are above and 50% are below. If you're making above this, congrats, you're doing better than most. Number three is investing regularly for retirement. The median retirement account balance in the US is just about $87,000. Consistently saving and investing for your retirement puts you well ahead. Number four is not having any sort of credit card debt. The total American credit card debt reached over $1.3 trillion at the end of 2025 and the average credit card balance hit nearly $7,000. So if you're paying your credit card balance off in full every single month, congrats, you are doing better than you think. And lastly, number five is feeling in control of your money. 44% of consumers reported that their finances control their life. A feeling that you control your money rather than the reverse is rarer than most people assume.