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Is Your Financial Confidence Holding You Back?

Zoe Team

Mar 19, 2025

3 min read

A financial advisor reviewing a plan with two clients at a table

Key Takeaways

Financial overwhelm often stems from having too many choices or lack of clarity.
Financial confidence is a skill that grows with education and professional guidance.
Identifying your specific financial values can simplify complex decision-making.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes financial overwhelm?

Overwhelm often results from decision fatigue when faced with too many financial options, similar to choosing products in a crowded store aisle.

How can I improve my financial confidence?

You can build confidence by breaking down complex financial tasks, increasing your financial literacy, and consulting with professional advisors.

Why is decision-making hard with finances?

Finances involve high-stakes choices, and without a clear plan or framework, the sheer number of investment and saving possibilities can lead to paralysis.

Have you ever stood in a grocery aisle, staring at a wall of options, unable to pick one? It’s a simple choice, yet the sheer number of possibilities makes it overwhelming.Now imagine that feeling—but with your finances.

A recent survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Zoe found that over half of Americans (53%) feel financially frozen—stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure about how to manage their money. The top reasons? Too much information online, uncertainty about where to start, and fear of making the wrong move.

So how do you move forward when financial paralysis sets in? Let’s break it down.

Why We Get Financially Frozen

The human brain wasn’t designed to process an endless flow of financial information. Yet, with social media platforms like YouTube (where 21% of respondents get financial information), we are constantly bombarded with conflicting messages about investing, budgeting, and retirement.

The problem isn’t a lack of resources—it’s an overload of choices. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed, which is why so many people put off financial decisions, even when that could hurt their financial future.

Where Americans Feel Stuck

According to the survey, 65% of people feel like they lack financial knowledge, with the main gaps including:

Navigating inflation & cost-of-living adjustments (25%): Rising prices make it difficult to budget effectively.
Investing (24%): Many don’t know where to start or worry about making mistakes.
Budgeting & saving (23%): Uncertainty about creating a plan that works.
Retirement Planning (22%): Fear of running out of money or not saving enough.

These uncertainties lead to procrastination, and the longer people wait, the more financial stress builds up.

The Cost of Inaction

Avoiding financial decisions doesn’t just cause stress—it has long-term consequences. The study found that 77% of surveyed respondents regret past decisions and/or wish they had made different financial choices that could have set them up for a better future.

The top areas of regret?

Not saving enough (55%)
Not sticking to a budget (41%)
Not investing sooner (38%)

3 Tips To Strengthen Your Financial Confidence

If you’re feeling financially frozen, these simple tips can help you regain clarity and take action:

Start small: Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, pick one area to focus on—whether it’s reviewing your budget, opening an investment account, or increasing your retirement contributions.
Find guidance you can trust: Many people hesitate to seek financial advice because they think it’s only for the wealthy—39% of respondents believe financial advisors are only for rich people. However, finding the right financial guidance can be valuable to optimize your wealth management strategy.
Take one action today: The hardest part is getting started. Whether it’s setting up an automatic transfer to your savings or scheduling a call with a professional, small steps build momentum.

If you are part of the 83% of Americans who want to be better prepared financially, it’s not too late to take action. With the right guidance, you can cut through the noise, make informed decisions, and build a financial plan that works for your unique goals.

Don’t let your financial confidence hold you back! Find an advisor today.

So how do you move forward when financial paralysis sets in? Let’s break it down.

Why We Get Financially Frozen

Where Americans Feel Stuck

According to the survey, 65% of people feel like they lack financial knowledge, with the main gaps including:

Navigating inflation & cost-of-living adjustments (25%): Rising prices make it difficult to budget effectively.
Investing (24%): Many don’t know where to start or worry about making mistakes.
Budgeting & saving (23%): Uncertainty about creating a plan that works.
Retirement Planning (22%): Fear of running out of money or not saving enough.

These uncertainties lead to procrastination, and the longer people wait, the more financial stress builds up.

The Cost of Inaction

The top areas of regret?

Not saving enough (55%)
Not sticking to a budget (41%)
Not investing sooner (38%)

3 Tips To Strengthen Your Financial Confidence

If you’re feeling financially frozen, these simple tips can help you regain clarity and take action:

Start small: Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, pick one area to focus on—whether it’s reviewing your budget, opening an investment account, or increasing your retirement contributions.
Find guidance you can trust: Many people hesitate to seek financial advice because they think it’s only for the wealthy—39% of respondents believe financial advisors are only for rich people. However, finding the right financial guidance can be valuable to optimize your wealth management strategy.
Take one action today: The hardest part is getting started. Whether it’s setting up an automatic transfer to your savings or scheduling a call with a professional, small steps build momentum.

Don’t let your financial confidence hold you back! Find an advisor today.

Disclosures: Zoe Financial, Inc. ("Zoe Financial") is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Zoe Financial provides investment advisory services and access to independent registered investment advisers through its platform. The information provided by Zoe Financial is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment advice or as an offer to buy or sell any security. All investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Clients should consult with their own financial, tax, or legal professionals before making any investment decisions. The material presented by Zoe Financial is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy, or investment product. Material presented has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, however Adviser cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information, and certain information presented here may have been condensed or summarized from its original source. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Zoe Financial does not provide legal or tax advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as legal or tax advice. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Zoe Financial by the SEC nor does it indicate that Zoe Financial has attained a particular level of skill or ability. The sole purpose of this material is to inform, and it in no way is intended to be an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any security, other investment or service, or to attract any funds or deposits. Investments mentioned may not be appropriate for all clients. Before making any investment, each investor should carefully consider the risks associated with the investment, as discussed in the applicable offering memorandum, and make a determination based upon their own particular circumstances, that the investment is consistent with their investment objectives and risk tolerance. Lower expenses do not guarantee better investment performance. Certain information contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements. Due to various risks and uncertainties, actual events, results or the performance of a fund may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements.

Disclosure: This page is not investment advice and should not be relied on for such advice or as a substitute for consultation with professional accounting, tax, legal or financial advisors. The observations of industry trends should not be read as recommendations for stocks or sectors.

Investment advisory services are provided by Zoe Financial, Inc. (Zoe Financial), an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Learn more about Zoe Financial on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website. Brokerage services are provided by Zoe Securities LLC and Apex Clearing Corporation, members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. (FINRA) and Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Learn more about Zoe Securities and Apex on FINRA’s BrokerCheck website.

The information in the visuals above is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an actual user's account, balance, or return. Zoe Financial does not provide tax or legal advice.

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