Business & Finance
Business and Finance
Business and Finance
Wed, December 8, 2010 
OMAHA, Neb.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Many Americans (56 percent surveyed) would welcome a do-over if given the chance to go back in time prior to the recession and change their financial behaviors, according to a new [ survey ] released by TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD). And it was Gen Y a" those who are starting their adult lives faced with rising tuition costs, diminishing Social Security and record high unemployment a" that heard the message loud and clear, seemingly more so than the other generations surveyed a" and they are taking action.
"This survey shows their capacity to learn from the mistakes of previous generations and to react and plan accordingly. Ita™s a very positive sign for the future of our country."
This youngest generation of workers could easily be discouraged, having witnessed economic crises including the dot-com bubble, and the housing bubble leading up to the current recession, but in fact, they appear to be more confident in their investing strategies than other generations surveyed:
- 41 percent of Gen Y investors are monitoring the markets and their portfolios more frequently following the recession, compared to just 30 percent of Gen X investors.
- 34 percent of Gen Y investors have put new money in the stock market, compared to 14 percent of Gen X investors and 15 percent of Boomer investors.
aThese findings are particularly interesting because Gen Y is often considered somewhat entitled by the masses, especially when it comes to financial matters,a said [ Nicole Sherrod ], managing director, TD Ameritrade. aThis survey shows their capacity to learn from the mistakes of previous generations and to react and plan accordingly. Ita™s a very positive sign for the future of our country.a
While many (42 percent) of these children of baby boomers say their parentsa™ generation was better off, they arena™t letting it hold them back. Many Gen Y investors have already made progress when it comes to saving for longer-term financial goals:
- 67 percent are on or ahead of schedule with building an emergency fund
- 61 percent are on or ahead of schedule with retirement savings
- 49 percent are on or ahead of schedule with education savings
aGen Y has accepted the reality of the past few years, and rather than being discouraged, theya™ve changed their behaviors and are using what theya™ve witnessed to their advantage,a Sherrod said. aThis is something that older generations could benefit from as well.a
Investors looking to get their portfolios back on track are encouraged to visit [ TD Ameritradea™s website ] for more information. [ Amerivest Guided Portfolios ] and [ Self-Directed Amerivest ] are just a few options that can help investors put a more disciplined investment strategy in place to pursue their financial goals.
For more information, visit [ http://www.tdameritrade.com/welcome4.html ].
AMTD-G
About the Survey
These results are based on a survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of TD Ameritrade. One thousand eighty-eight (1,088) adults between 22 and 80 years participated in an online survey conducted September 28 through October 19, 2010.The margin of error in this survey is 3.0 percentage points. This means that in 19 cases out of 20, survey results based on 1,088 respondents will differ by no more than 3.0 percentage points in either direction from what would have been obtained by seeking the opinions of all adults living in the United States age 22 through 80.Harris Interactive and TD Ameritrade are separate, unaffiliated companies and are not responsible for each othera™s products and services.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research with offices in North America, Europe and Asia locations. For more information, please visit [ www.harrisinteractive.com ].
About TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation
TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD), through its brokerage subsidiaries,(1) combines innovative trading technology, easy-to-use-and-understand [ trading tools ], investment services, investor education and superior client service to create a market-leading financial services experience. Now home to the award-winning thinkorswim trading technology(2) and the Investools investor education program, TD Ameritrade provides millions of retail investors, traders and independent registered investment advisors with the tools, service and support they need to help build confidence in todaya™s rapidly changing market environment. For more information and resources for journalists, please visit the TD Ameritrade newsroom at [ www.amtd.com ].
(1) TDAmeritrade, Inc., member FINRA ([ www.FINRA.org ]) /SIPC ([ www.SIPC.org ]), NFA ([ www.nfa.futures.org ]), TDAmeritrade Clearing, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.
(2) thinkorswim, prior to joining TD Ameritrade, earned 4.9 stars, the top score, in the category aTrading Technology,a and was rated #1 overall online broker in Barrona™s ranking of online brokers, 3/15/2010. thinkorswim was evaluated versus others in eight total categories, including trade experience, trading technology, usability, range of offerings, research amenities, portfolio analysis and reporting, customer service and education and costs. thinkorswim topped the list in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 with the highest weighted-average score. Barrona™s is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company © 2006-2010.
