Figuratively Speaking: Gallup Poll: Government help OK for homes, not Wall Street

Percentage of Americans who support having the federal government take steps to help prevent people from losing their homes because they can't pay their mortgages, according to a Gallup Poll: 56

Percentage of Americans who oppose the federal government taking steps to help prevent major Wall Street investment companies from failing: 60

Is America in a recession?

Percentage of finance and accounting professionals who think the United States is currently experiencing a recession, according to a poll by Ajilon Finance for the Institute of Management Accountants: 65

Percentage who feel the economic uncertainty is making their jobs more complex: 54

Payday preferences

Percentage of employees who are paid by either direct deposit or pay card, according to a survey conducted by the American Payroll Association: 90

Of those paid by direct deposit or pay card, percentage of respondents who said they would rather view their pay online than receive a paper stub: 62

Wealthy households

Average annual income of the wealthiest 10 percent of U.S. households, as defined by net worth in the Federal Reserve Board study, according to the American Affluence Research Center: $256,000

Percentage of the income earned by all American households that this group represents: 36

Percentage of the total net worth of all U.S. households that the wealthiest group controls: 70

Baby boomers and retirement

Percentage of baby boomers who said retirement saving was the most important financial lesson they learned from their parents, according to findings of a study of generational differences in retirement planning conducted by Mathew Greenwald and Associates: 15

Percentage who believe they have done an "excellent job" saving for retirement: 21

Percentage who reported success in avoiding credit card debt: 57 (This is 24 percentage points lower than their parents' responses.)

Percentage of baby boomers who said they are doing financial planning and that their goals are set and on track, according to a survey by KeyBank and Zogby International: 51

Percentage who believe they will or could run out of money in their lifetime: 67

Taxing issues

Percentage of Americans who complain that they pay too much in federal income taxes, according to Gallup's 2008 Economy and Personal Finance survey: 52

Percentage who say they pay the right amount: 42

Percentage who say they pay too little: 2

Leaving behind assets

Percentage of high-net-worth individuals with estate-planning documents who instruct heirs to meet specific requirements to receive inheritances, according to the results of a survey by PNC Wealth Management: 30

Of those who have attached stipulations to their will or trust, percentage who have earmarked funds to be used for education: 77

Percentage who have identified funds to be used for basic needs (such as housing): 46

Percentage who have set aside funds for the next generation: 29

Dealing with debt

Percentage of American credit card holders who say they always pay off the full balance on their cards each month, according to a Gallup Poll: 43

Percentage who indicated they usually leave a balance: 25

Percentage who say they usually pay only the minimum amount due each month: 12

Percentage of Americans who are taking out more cash advances on their credit cards than they did in the past, according to the results of a survey by Standard and Poor's ExecuComp about how American consumers use credit cards to manage personal debt: 10

Percentage of respondents who indicate they are "sometimes" (14 percent) or "always" (6 percent) unable to pay their credit card and/or loan balances each month: 20

How saving stacks up

Percentage of Americans who say they do a better job of saving and protecting their money than their parents, according to a survey from ING and conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs: 58

Percentage who say they do a better job saving and protecting money than their friends and acquaintances: 65

Young and in debt

Percentage of Americans ages 18 to 39 who say they have credit card debt, according to Employee Benefit Research Institute: 63

Percentage who have car debt: 48

Percentage who have student loan debt: 31

Percentage who have medical debt: 27

Financial pressures

When asked to name the most important financial problem facing their families today, percentage of Americans who say energy and gas prices, according to a Gallup Poll: 29

Percentage who cite the high cost of living and inflation: 18

Percentage who say a lack of money and low wages: 14

Percentage who say health care costs: 9

John MacIntyre is a Nova Scotia-based author and former city magazine editor. His "Figuratively Speaking" column, launched in 1989, is published in more than 40 newspapers and magazines.

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