The data: In 2025, 82% of US consumers did not increase their emergency savings, including 33% whose emergency savings decreased and 18% who had none to begin with.

Digging into the data: Among consumers who used emergency savings, 51% spent it on unplanned emergency expenses, followed by 38% who spent it on monthly bills and 32% on day-to-day expenses. Gen Zers were far more likely to use their savings to help a family member or friend (35%) or pay down debt (27%) than were other demographics.

• Savings amounts put consumers on shaky footing. Most (76%) have some emergency savings, but only 27% could cover expenses for six months or more. Gen Z’s numbers are the bleakest: 71% have emergency savings, and only 10% have enough to cover six months’ worth of expenses.
• Paying down debt and increasing emergency savings are the top priorities. Consumers most frequently rank "focus on both at the same time” No. 1 (35%), followed by “increasing emergency savings” (28%). Gen Z paints a slightly different picture: 39% are focused on both and 36% on increasing emergency savings.

Our take: Financial institutions (FIs) are in a strong position to help consumers save. When they do so successfully, they can enhance customer loyalty and help them stay on firmer financial ground, making them high-quality customers for non-depository banking products and services.

As the survey notes, rising incomes correlate with more emergency savings. By providing useful, engaging, and proactive savings tools and debt management, FIs can help customers optimize their savings and debt repayment as incomes rise.