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Many Americans say they aren't feeling optimistic about their financial progress this year. According to a recent report from Omnicalculator , eight in 10 adults say they have at least one financial regret from 2025.

Missteps are tied to spending, debt or a lack of long-term planning, with almost three in 10 Americans reporting their biggest mistake was making decisions too quickly.

But feeling financially behind can be misleading. In many cases, the issue isn't a lack of progress — it's how that progress is being measured.

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