How do ‘investors’ differ from the general US population? Are there differences between the two groups in the components of financial wellness? If so, would this shed more light on the factors that influence financial choices? Using Soo’s (2008) financial wellness conceptual framework, as well as data from the National Financial Capability Study (2015), this analysis explores the four basic components of financial wellness: (1) objective status, (2) financial satisfaction, (3) financial behaviors, and (4) subjective perceptions. Are the investors, or those who engage in more complex financial behaviors, different in a significant or predictable way? Understanding what leads individuals to participate in higher-level financial practices will help researchers and policy makers design and develop more effective financial literacy initiatives and policies. By examining financial decisions through a more holistic lens, hopefully we will consider more holistic, long-term approaches to financial wellness.
