40% of Americans can’t cover a $400 emergency expense

By: Anna Bahney

May 22, 2018

Can you cover an unexpected $400 expense?

Four in ten Americans can’t, according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Board. Those who don’t have the cash on hand say they’d have to cover it by borrowing or selling something.

The bright side? That’s an improvement from half of adults being unable to cover such an expense in 2013. The number has been ticking down each year since. 

Overall, the financial situation of American households has improved during the past five years, according to the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households report. It shows that in 2017, 74% of adults reported feeling at least “okay” financially, an increase of 10 percentage points from the first survey four years earlier.