Whatever we actually feel, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic: The unemployment rate is hovering around 4%, tappable home equity hit a record high recently, and workers’ pay rose last year. Adds Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst at Bankrate: “This will be another year where people are working and earning more. The economic backdrop this year is such that many disciplined consumers can expect to make financial progress – saving more, increasing their net worth, and having cash flow that permits debt repayment.”
And despite some people calling for a recession in 2019, others say it’s unlikely: “We are not concerned that the US will face an economic recession this year, with that risk coming late 2020,” Jeffrey Eglow, the chief investment officer for Guardian Wealth Advisory, tells Marketwatch