Here’s the exact amount of money you need to make to be financially secure

Site SearchClearSEARCHAdvanced Search ➔Search ResultsSymbolsNo results foundAll NewsArticlesVideoPodcasts0 ResultsNo Results FoundAuthorsNo results foundSectionsNo results foundColumnsNo results found Here’s the exact amount of money you need to make to be financially secureIn today’s economy, about half of households are financially insecure. It’s even worse for those who have children.Last Updated: March 21, 2026 at 10:04 a.m. ETFirst Published: March 18, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ETShareResizeListen(7 min)The yearly thresholds for achieving financial security range from roughly $62,700 for one-person households over age 65, to $169,300 for families with two or more adults and three or more kids. Photo: MarketWatch photo illustration/iStockphotoAs lawmakers consider ideas to boost support to parents — from greater access to IVF to free child care — amid a decline in the U.S. birth rate, new research from the Urban Institute shows that America’s families face significant financial challenges, making them less likely than households without children to be economically secure.Financial precariousness is common in the U.S.: Polls have found that 17% of Americans have no emergency savings and 38% of people ages 65 and older do not have a retirement savings account. About the Author Venessa WongVenessa Wong is a personal finance reporter for MarketWatch based in New York City. She previously covered business, inequality and culture during her tenure at BuzzFeed News, and reported on the food industry for Bloomberg. Venessa is a graduate of the Columbia Journalism School and Middlebury College. Follow her on Twitter @venessawong.Show Conversation (0)Back To TopA Dow Jones CompanyCopyright © 2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie NoticeArchive MarketwatchCustomer CenterContact UsNewslettersNewsroom RosterVirtual Stock ExchangeMarketWatch GuidesCopyright PolicyManage NotificationsCancel My SubscriptionCompanyDow JonesCode of ConductCorrectionsReprints & LicensingDigital Self ServiceYour Ad ChoicesCorporate SubscriptionsAccessibilityDow Jones NetworkThe Wall Street JournalBarron'sInvestor's Business DailyFinancial News Londonrealtor.comMansion GlobalDow Jones Smart MoneyIntraday Data provided by FACTSET and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by FACTSET. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.