The economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis has brought to light the deeply rooted financial struggles that many Americans face. This paper shows that even before the pandemic, a substantial share of households was already anxious and stressed about their personal finances. The greatest levels of anxiety and stress were expressed by women, young adults, those with lower income, those with more financially dependent children, those who are not married, and those who are unemployed. In this paper, factors likely contributing to high levels of financial anxiety and stress are analyzed.