Americans overall spend nearly 4 hours a day thinking about money, with Gen Z and Millennials pondering their financial situation almost 5 hours out of every 24, according to survey results released this week from financial services firm Empower. More than half (54%) say they’re thinking about money more often than they did last year.

By generation, here is the average time spent thinking about money:

• Gen Z: 4.82 hours/day
• Millennials: 4.73 hours/day
• Gen X: 3.74 hours/day
• Boomers: 2.4 hours/day

Empower pointed out that thinking about money has become the equivalent of a part-time job for many people, occupying more of their time than preparing meals or exercising combined. Bills (57%), inflation and rising prices (51%), housing costs (34%), debt (30%), tariffs (28%) and retirement savings (24%) top the list of money issues Americans confront each day.

A majority (55%) of Americans say they think about their retirement weekly or daily (27%). One in 4 (22%) high-income earners have retirement on the mind multiple times a day.

Over a third of Americans (36%) say they lose sleep over financial worries and for Millennials, that number jumps to 44%. Boomers report sleeping better: just 24% say money keeps them up at night.

The plus side: nearly half of Americans (45%) say thinking about money motivates them to take action to reach their long-term goals. One third (33%) are thinking about how to grow their money and how to achieve long-term security (30%). Some 35% say they actively work to improve their financial situation when these thoughts arise, with Millennials among the most proactive (40%).

These actions are paying off. One in 5 (20%) respondents report significantly improving their credit score. Another 20% have paid off meaningful debt, created a successful budget (19%) or spending plan (19%).

“In an era of 24/7 economic headlines, it’s no surprise that money is dominating our daily thoughts,” said Rebecca Rickert, head of communications and consumer insights at Empower. “But here’s the silver lining: we’re seeing a real shift from passive worry to proactive behavior. People are motivated. They’re looking for tools, information and advice to turn that energy into progress.”

Keeping tabs on your money

People are not just thinking about finances — they’re keeping a close eye on them. Nearly one-fifth of the population (17%) checks their financial accounts, including credit cards and investments, multiple times per day and a quarter (24%) checks their bank account daily.

Again, this behavior is more common among younger adults: 24% of Gen Z and 21% of Millennials monitor accounts several times a day compared to just 10% of Boomers.

The time of day matters, too. Gen Z is most likely to think about money in the late afternoon, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., whereas Millennials and Gen X report an uptick in financial thoughts between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., when the day slows down.

Even during the day, 38% say money-related thoughts interfere with their ability to focus, and close to 2 in 5 say it strains relationships with friends and family (38%). In fact, over half (53%) say they’re feeling financial stress more acutely than ever (62% Gen X, 41% Baby Boomers).

When asked what would reduce their financial stress, nearly half said a higher income (47%) would ease their worries, while 45% pointed to lower living expenses. Broader economic improvements (29%) and debt elimination (28%), and a larger emergency fund (24%) were also top responses.

Almost 1 in 5 (18%) people said a detailed financial plan would go a long way toward helping them feel better about their finances (25% Gen Z, 23% Millennials).

Empower’s “Money on the Mind” study is based on online survey responses from 2,206 Americans ages 18+ fielded by a third-party panel provider from June 10-12, 2025. The survey is weighted to be nationally representative of U.S. adults.

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