The top 3 money regrets that haunted Americans last year. How to avoid them in 2026

As 2025 drew to a close, many Americans looked back with financial regret. According to a new survey from Credit Karma, nearly half (49%) of U.S adults say they’re worse off financially, largely due to unexpected expenses (1). It's been a challenging year economically. From tariff policies and high inflation to a record-long government shutdown and rising unemployment, financial stress hit households hard. Two-thirds (67%) of survey respondents say economic conditions directly impacted their spending habi ...