Young Americans increasingly feel the financial system is stacked against them, pushing long-term goals further out of reach and forcing many into survival mode, according to a new survey from Beyond Finance, a debt consolidation company, and Operation HOPE, a financial literacy non-profit. The survey reveals a widening gap between traditional financial guidance and the economic realities younger generations face, with 7 in 10 indicating wealth is out of reach as survival spending becomes the norm.A growing share of Gen Z and Millennials feel the financial system is working against them, not for them, with just 32 percent reporting the “American Dream” feels very realistic today. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said their generation was set up for financial failure. More than 70 percent of respondents say a side hustle or additional income is required to keep up, while nearly 80 percent report using “survival spending” tactics to get by. Buy now, pay later services have also become an increasingly common strategy, with 32 percent of respondents reporting they have used such services for essentials like groceries and utilities.Nearly 1 in 3 describe themselves as “barely surviving” financially, and 26 percent say they would prioritize covering basic living expenses if they received a financial windfall. More than 40 percent report challenges with saving, paying down debt and maintaining financial confidence. Only 28 percent feel fully prepared by their education to make financial decisions, and 43 percent say older generations do not understand their financial challenges.