You may not have heard of math anxiety, but let me assure you, it is real. Defined as a “negative emotional reaction to mathematics,” math anxiety is an extreme feeling of nervousness that some individuals experience when faced with performing tasks involving math.
Math anxiety is felt by people in all age groups. According to one study, 93% of American adults have indicated that they felt some level of math anxiety, and 17% have suffered from high levels of it. This anxiety can linger from childhood to adulthood, and ultimately it could affect your retirement saving potential.
I’ve seen math anxiety firsthand in the classroom
As a former high school math teacher, I had numerous students who suffered from this enigma. Math anxiety is different from being nervous about taking a test or being afraid to make a mistake in front of your peers. The anxiety these kids faced was often so bad that even when I would sit one-on-one with them, their nerves would still prevent them from being able to focus on and comprehend math problems.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
In most cases, students who needed help the most were the least likely to be recognized or ask for help. The idea of facing their anxiety was as nerve-racking as suffering through it on their own. These kids underperformed on assignments, quizzes and tests compared to their classmates without math anxiety. The underperformance then fed the anxiety, causing the student to feel they were not good at math, ultimately hating the subject and anything that could be associated with it, such as finances.
You may think math anxiety goes away as an adult, but …
As adults, this anxiety may seem to subside, simply as a result of being removed from the classroom or situations that regularly induced the anxiety. However, this anxiety can quickly rear its ugly head when the person once again is faced with a mathematical judgment situation in everyday life.
When might the use of math actually be relevant in one’s everyday life? How about in establishing and carrying out a financial plan? Developing a financial plan of any kind will almost certainly require the solving of a mathematical problem or equation. Consequently, an individual who struggled with math anxiety as a student may experience yet another hurdle as a result of this condition, now as an adult.
How math anxiety can hurt you financially
In my experience, it’s no easy task for anyone to tackle and organize all of their financial information, and then accordingly construct and implement a plan designed to take them from where they’re at now to where they want to be in the future. However, for someone crippled with math anxiety, this isn’t just a task that won’t be easy to do; it’s a task that feels impossible. So, instead, they’re likely to put retirement planning on the back burner for another day and to ease that old feeling of inadequateness.
Even though there are resources and professionals who could assist in this task, just as when they were kids, many will not ask for help … yet they really need it. The idea of appearing uneducated causes them to feel insecure and certainly not confident enough to seek out a professional financial planner.
Sound familiar? What you should do
If you’ve ever experienced math anxiety, a good first step is to realize you aren’t alone in your struggles. Next, as an adult, it may be easier to calm your fears and realize that, like other obstacles you’ve faced, this too is doable. Many resources are available to guide you. Lastly, because you’re an adult, you have the option to enlist a financial planner and let someone else do the math for you – and now it won’t even be considered cheating!
Madison Parker is an investment advisor representative of, and advisory services are offered through USA Financial Securities. A Registered Investment Advisor located at 6020 E. Fulton St., Ada, MI 49301. Parker Financial Group and Rodger Parker are not affiliated with USA Financial Securities.
-
How to Safely Get Your Amazon Packages This SeasonWorried about porch pirates? From Amazon lockers to secure lock boxes, here’s how to protect your holiday deliveries.
-
Investors Take Stock of Shutdown Talk: Stock Market TodayWhether we'll have a Jobs Friday this week depends on if we have a government shutdown in Washington.
-
Are AI Search Results Ghosting Your LinkedIn Posts? This Could Be WhyPosts generated by AI don't hold enough authority with AI search engines to significantly boost your visibility (yes, that's ironic!). Here's what you can do instead.
-
Student Loan Shake-Up: What the OBBB Means for Parent PLUS Borrowers, From a Financial Aid ExpertFor students starting a new program on/after July 1, 2026, loans will be capped at $20,000 annually, and parents can borrow no more than $65,000 total, a big change from the unlimited borrowing setup.
-
Boomer Retirement Reality Check: The Numbers Look Bleak, But Here's What You Can Do About ThatYour retirement probably won't look like your parents' retirement, thanks in part to rising costs . Here are some ways to assess your finances to get yourself into a better financial position.
-
Should You Be an Active or Passive Investor? A Financial Adviser Breaks It All DownUnderstanding the pros and cons of the two types of investing strategies can clarify what works for you. Hint: Sometimes a blend is best.
-
I'm a Financial Adviser: Don't Believe These Five Myths About AnnuitiesAnnuities can offer financial stability that can be quite freeing for retirees. Don't let a few myths spoil what might be a good thing for you.
-
I'm a Wealth Adviser: This Is How to Prevent Your Heirs From Frittering Away the Family FortuneTo prevent family wealth from being eroded down the line, younger generations must be treated as active stewards of a legacy rather than passive heirs.
-
A Financial Adviser's Guide to Divorce Negotiations: Civil — or NotWhether you go through a friendly mediation or a contentious court battle, all divorce agreements need to address the same key issues.
-
One Family's 529 Journey: A Guide to Smart College Savings, From a Parent Who's Also a Financial Professional529 savings plans have been key to funding my three children's college journeys. Here are some tips for saving for a loved one's education, based on my experience as a parent.
