Why Employee Financial Health Is Getting Worse in 2026
The financial health gains employers saw in 2025 didn’t hold. According to the Financial Health Network’s newly released Financial Health Pulse® 2026 U.S. Trends Report, U.S. households lost meaningful ground in their financial health this year, reversing the modest progress reported just twelve months ago. The share of households considered Financially Vulnerable rose from 15% […]
Should You Provide Financial Care? Brightside’s Kristy Talorico on Earn & Invest
Most traditional financial wellness benefits, like a 401(k) plan, financial planning, and financial coaching, are built for people who can afford to think about the future. But the Financial Health Network’s latest data shows that 70% of U.S. households are financially vulnerable or coping. They’re not thinking about financial goals decades away. They’re thinking about […]
Financial Stress and Healthcare Costs: Our Session with Amazon at The Conference Board
At The Conference Board’s Employee Health Care Conference in Chicago last week, Jack Nickel, Amazon’s Global Financial Wellness Program Manager, and Tom Spann, Brightside’s CEO and co-founder, presented a session based on a number most benefits strategies never touch: the unaddressed 30% of healthcare costs driven by poor financial health. How Amazon approaches financial health […]
The Emergency Fund of Last Resort is Now the 401(k)
Layoffs dominated the headlines in 2025 — employers announced more than 1.2 million job cuts, the highest annual total since the pandemic. In these cases, employers have a playbook for that moment, which may include severance, COBRA, and outplacement support. But what about those who are actively employed — and barely getting by — regardless […]
Student Loan Rules Are Changing July 1: What Your Employees Should Know
More than 42 million Americans carry federal student loan debt — totaling $1.83 trillion. The average student loan debt per borrower is more than $39,000. One in four borrowers is currently behind on payments. Starting July 1, 2026, as part of legislative changes passed in July 2025, many of the rules surrounding those loans are […]
How Brightside Provides Hope and Financial Help
This article was originally published on April 30, 2024, and has been updated to reflect current sources. Brightside provides personalized financial support and solutions for all employees. Yet, frontline workers comprise 70% of America’s workforce and face complex and nuanced needs that other employee financial benefits aren’t built to serve. The Financial Health Network’s 2025 […]
Case Study: How a Leading Hospital System Strengthened Workforce Stability
In healthcare, supporting caregivers through financial hardship reflects mission and values. Most hospital systems have thoughtful programs in place — from hardship funds to broader wellbeing initiatives — to respond when unexpected challenges arise. But as economic pressures increase, many leaders are recognizing that for many caregivers, financial strain is not limited to a single […]
Why the Next Big Win in Benefits Is Supporting Employees’ Everyday Money Problems
With nearly 80% of workers concerned with basic expenses such as groceries and childcare, regardless of income, more employers are prioritizing benefits that support employees’ everyday money problems. In fact, about half of employers plan to have a comprehensive financial program in place by next year. But designing this type of financial benefits strategy requires […]
The Workforce Health Crisis Hospital Systems Can’t Ignore
Healthcare leaders are facing an increasingly difficult workforce reality: rising turnover, persistent burnout, staffing instability, and growing concerns about care quality. These challenges are often framed as labor shortages or workload problems. But emerging research suggests a deeper, less visible driver — financial instability among frontline and direct care workers. Recent findings from Mercer and […]
Millions of Workers Are Losing Health Coverage. Employers Can’t Ignore It.
As of January 1, 2026, enhanced federal subsidies that made Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans more affordable for nearly 20 million Americans have expired, resulting in significantly higher premiums for many workers who rely on individual coverage. While the Senate is set to vote on a bill that could extend the subsidies, Newsweek reports […]