Coping With Financial Survivor’s Guilt
What You Need to Know About Financial Survivor’s Guilt
Financial survivor’s guilt is a very real emotional response. If you’ve ever felt guilty about having financial stability while others around you struggle, you may be experiencing financial survivor’s guilt
Financial survivor’s guilt can trigger stress, anxiety, and even physical symptoms.
Take action: Identify one way you can support others—whether through community engagement, career mentorship, or aligning your spending with your values—while still maintaining your financial well-being.
Understanding Financial Survivor’s Guilt
Have you ever felt uncomfortable about your financial stability when people around you were struggling? Maybe you kept your job while others were laid off, or you were able to save money while friends were drowning in debt. If so, you may be experiencing financial survivor’s guilt—a complex emotional reaction that can make it difficult to enjoy financial success without feeling the ick.
Survivor’s guilt is often associated with traumatic events, like surviving an accident or a natural disaster. But this phenomenon also applies to financial circumstances. If you’ve ever thought, “Why do I have this job opportunity when others don’t?” or “I feel bad about my financial stability when so many are struggling,” that’s financial survivor’s guilt at play.
The good news? While these feelings are normal, they don’t have to control your actions or your financial decisions.
What is Survivor’s Guilt?
Before we talk about financial survivor’s guilt specifically, let’s back up and define survivor’s guilt itself.
Survivor’s guilt is a psychological response that occurs when someone survives a traumatic event or hardship while others do not or experience more harm.
Survivor’s guilt can happen in many situations, including:
Surviving an accident while others were injured
Living through a natural disaster when others lost their homes or lives
Returning from military service unharmed while fellow soldiers were wounded or killed
Keeping a job during layoffs when coworkers were let go
People experiencing survivor’s guilt often struggle with intrusive thoughts, self-blame, and other distressing emotions.
Common Survivor Guilt Symptoms
Survivor’s guilt symptoms can look a lot like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may include:
Repetitive or intrusive thoughts about the event or circumstance
Feelings of guilt or self-blame, even if the situation was outside of your control
Anxiety or depression, including hopelessness or helplessness
Difficulty sleeping, including nightmares and flashbacks
Physical symptoms like headaches, stomach aches, or a racing heart
Financial survivor’s guilt operates in a similar way—except instead of a life-threatening event, the triggering factor is a financial advantage or privilege.
How Financial Survivor’s Guilt Manifests
Financial survivor’s guilt happens when someone feels guilty about having financial stability while others face economic hardship.
This type of guilt can show up in two major ways:
Interpersonal survivor’s guilt – You feel uneasy about your financial position compared to someone you know personally.
Example: Your company lays off 15% of its workforce, but you keep your job. You feel guilty knowing that some of your closest coworkers no longer have a paycheck.
Societal survivor’s guilt – You feel discomfort about broader economic inequalities.
Example: You recognize that the economic system benefits some people more than others, and you feel guilty for being on the more stable side of things.
At the time of this post, financial survivor’s guilt is more common than ever, thanks to what economists call a K-shaped recovery.
The K-Shaped Recovery and Why Financial Survivor’s Guilt is on the Rise
A K-shaped recovery happens when different economic groups recover at different rates. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher-income earners generally saw their wealth continue to grow, while lower-income workers struggled to recover financially, and yes, that means a continuted shrinking of the middle class.
If you have a stable salary, a growing net worth, or financial security, you might feel guilty knowing that others—especially those in lower-income brackets—are struggling.
Other factors that have amplified financial survivor’s guilt in recent years include:
Inflation and rising costs making it harder for lower-income earners to afford necessities
Student loan repayments resuming without the forgiveness many had hoped for
Job market instability, where layoffs are happening in some industries while others thrive
A 2025 American presidency rife with chaos and confusion, leading to more stock market and economic uncertainty
Why Empathetic People Are More Prone to Financial Survivor’s Guilt
Financial survivor’s guilt is particularly common among empathic individuals—people who can easily put themselves in someone else’s shoes. So, if you’re someone who naturally feels deep concern for others, you may be more likely to experience financial survivor’s guilt.
Why? Because empathy makes it easier to imagine what others are going through. If you can vividly picture what it would be like to lose your job, struggle with debt, or face financial hardship, it’s natural to feel guilt about your own financial stability.
This can lead to irrational thoughts, like:
“Maybe I should have turned down this promotion so someone else could have had it.”
“I shouldn’t enjoy this financial success while others are suffering.”
“I need to give away as much money as possible to make up for this.”
The problem? Self-sacrificing won’t fix systemic financial issues. Instead, focus on how to deal with survivor's guilt in a way that allows you to care for yourself while helping others in a sustainable way.
3 Steps to Deal with Survivor Guilt
Coping with survivor’s guilt requires a mindset shift. Instead of letting guilt consume you, try these three strategies to move from guilt to meaningful action.
1. Practice Daily Gratitude (Even When It Feels Uncomfortable)
It might feel counterintuitive to practice gratitude when others are struggling. But research shows that daily gratitude helps build mental resilience, making it easier to handle complex emotions like survivor’s guilt.
Instead of thinking, “I feel bad that I have financial stability,” try shifting to:
“I’m grateful to have a steady income, and I want to use it wisely.”
“I appreciate the financial security I have and will use it to support my community.”
2. Reframe the “Money is a Pie” Mentality
Many people believe that if they gain financially, someone else loses. But that’s not true.
For example, filing for unemployment doesn’t take money away from someone else’s benefits. Similarly, accepting a raise doesn’t mean someone else was automatically denied one.
Instead of self-sacrifice, focus on how to circulate money in ways that align with your values. For me, spending locally whenever possible is a way for me to keep my money in my community, which is a value of mine. I talk more about values-based spending–and intentionally not spending–in this post on economic boycotts.
3. Take Meaningful Action
If financial survivor’s guilt is weighing on you, channel that energy into something productive.
Use your skills to help others—mentor someone, review resumes, or connect people to job opportunities.
Support local businesses that align with your values.
Engage in civic action, like advocating for policies that promote economic justice.
Donate to organizations making an impact—but only in a way that doesn’t jeopardize your financial well-being. We can’t help others financially if we’re drowning.
Moving from Guilt to Action
Instead of asking, “Why do I have financial stability when others don’t?” try asking, “How can I use what I have to create a meaningful impact?”
Taking care of your own financial well-being while supporting others in sustainable ways creates a positive ripple effect. Remember that financial survivor’s guilt is a common phenomenon, but self-sacrifice isn’t the answer. Focus on gratitude, shifting perspectives, and taking action in a way that aligns with your strengths and values.
If this resonated with you, and you want more shame-free, practical insights on the emotional side of money, join my weekly Mind Money Balance newsletter. Each week, I share nuanced information on money, mental health, and financial wellness—without the judgment or jargon. Sign up here and start feeling more confident about your financial decisions.