Emerging adults stay positive despite financial and social pressures

Getty Images Stock Photo (NewsUSA) – The designation “GenNext” represents adults ages 18-34, the life stage often referred to as “emerging adulthood,” and refers to the next generation of workers, heads of households, consumers, and investors with significant decisions to make about their future. Many in this group are optimistic, despite experiencing personal and professional challenges wrought by recession, inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and job transitions with changing workforce expectations, according to a survey from financial services firm Edward Jones, with Next360 Partners and Market Cast. Overall, the survey found GenNext to be a resilient group, although 80% of respondents currently see themselves as struggling or surviving financially. “Our research offers a deeper understanding of GenNext, an age group defined by their shared experiences, not the year they were born,” says Lena Haas, head of Wealth Management Advice and Solutions at Edward Jones. “With most worried about rising costs and an inability to save, this will have vast implications for the wealth management industry.” Contrary to popular belief, GenNext is hardworking and ambitious, but this demographic has distinct approaches to work and life in the face of today’s social and economic challenges. Money matters, but so does comfort, security, and...