In an extremely close poll conducted by Gallup, Americans were asked about their opinion regarding their personal financial situation this year as compared with last;  are things better, worse, or the same?

38% of Americans described their financial situations as better than last year, jumping for the first time since 2008 over Americans who considered themselves worse off.  Considering the 4% points separating the two opinions, the finding is not abrupt, but signals questionably positive public opinion regarding the economy.

However, this sentiment splits down partisan lines.  62% of Democrats consider themselves better off this year, while only 16% of Republicans describe themselves similarly.  Conversely, 9% of Democrats find themselves worse off this year, while 55% of Republicans responded likewise.  Independents hover somewhere in the middle, with 40% sharing a worse off response and 34% self-describing as better off.  With opinions regarding present situations minimally optimistic, future predictions are quite high;  66% of respondents predict that next year will be better than this one, pulling in 57% of Republicans, 62% of Independents, and 80% of Democrats.