A new Bankrate survey shows 77% of American adults have a financial regret.
The top overall regret was not saving for retirement early enough, mentioned by 22% of respondents.
“That is the most common regret, but it looms largest for Gen Xers and baby boomers,” said Bankrate Chief Financial Analyst Greg McBride.
Another 18% said not saving enough for emergencies was their biggest financial regret.
In third place was taking on too much credit card debt, cited by 14% of respondents.
Younger generations are more concerned with a lack of emergency savings. That was the top concern for 26% of Gen Zers and 21% of millennials.
Retirement concerns loomed large for boomers at 37% and Gen Xers at 26%.
Smaller shares of people said their biggest financial regrets were too much student loan debt (5%), not saving enough for their child’s education (4%), buying more house than they could afford (2%), or something else (12%).
Four in 10 people with a financial regret said they hadn’t made progress on it in the last year.
A plurality of people (45%) said inflation negatively influenced their progress on their financial regrets.