In our new survey on financial fears, we asked more than 2,500 Americans: "What is your biggest money fear?" Respondents could choose from the following answer choices: 

• Never being able to retire

• Always living paycheck to paycheck

• Living in debt forever

• Losing my job

• Losing all of my money in the stock market

• Never being able to afford a home

• Always having a low credit score

Keep reading to discover the biggest financial fear in the U.S. 

Americans' Biggest Money Fears: Overall Results

Based on respondents' answers, GOBankingRates found that the biggest financial fear among Americans is "never being able to retire," followed by "always living paycheck to paycheck" and "living in debt forever." Here are the highlights from the survey:

• 22% of Americans chose "never being able to retire" as their biggest money fear.

• 20% are most afraid of always living paycheck to paycheck.

• 18% are most afraid of living in debt forever.

• 16% are most afraid of losing their jobs. 

• 11% are most afraid of losing all their money in the stock market. 

• 8% are most afraid of never being able to afford a home. 

• 4% are most afraid of always having a low credit score. 

For deeper insights into Americans' biggest financial fear broken down by gender, age and regions within the U.S., take a look at the following tables below.

Survey Finds: More Than Half of Americans Will Retire Broke

Americans' Biggest Money Fears: Gender Insights 

Our survey found that men and women have different financial fears. The top three financial fears among both genders are:

Here's a complete breakdown on both genders' responses to the question, "What is your biggest money fear?"

Ready for the Next Recession? Survey Finds Next Economic Downturn Would Ruin 2/3 of Americans

Americans' Biggest Money Fears: Age Insights

The 2017 Money Fears survey also revealed the biggest financial fears among different age groups, including: 

• Ages 18-24 (younger millennials)

• Ages 25-34 (older millennials)

• Ages 35-44 (younger Gen Xers)

• Ages 45-54 (older Gen Xers)

• Ages 55-64 (baby boomers)

• Ages 65+ (seniors)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the survey discovered that the biggest money fears vary by age — and some don't. For example, older millennials, older Gen Xers and baby boomers all share their No. 1 financial fear: never being able to retire. Meanwhile, younger millennials and younger Gen Xers fear always living paycheck to paycheck the most. 

In addition to never being able to retire, older millennials equally fear living in debt forever. Seniors are the only only age group that chose "losing all of my money in the stock market" as their biggest money fear. 

For a complete breakdown on how each age group responded to the survey, see the the table below. 

Retirement Fears? Americans Don't Know How They're Paying for Retirement

Americans' Biggest Money Fears: Regional Insights

You might assume Americans' financial fears would vary across the country, but that isn't necessarily the case. In fact, all four regions in the U.S. have the same top three money fears: never being able to retire, always living paycheck to paycheck and living in debt forever.

However, it's worth noting that the No. 1 financial fear among residents in the Northeast differs from the biggest fears in the West, Midwest and South. Living in debt forever is the biggest money fear in the Northeast, while never being able to retire is the biggest financial fear in the rest of the country.  Here's a look at the biggest money fears by region: