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Financial Wellness in 2025: The Continued Rise of Earned Wage Access

A young woman sits on the couch while at home caring for her children.

A major trend in financial wellness is Earned Wage Access (EWA) also called Early Wage Access. This is most helpful for employees who need access to their hard-earned cash before payday in order to respond to an emergency, or make ends meet for the week.

The Opportunity

EWA can be a useful tool, but it has traditionally come with hefty fees that may or may not have been disclosed to employees. However, that may be changing as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is considering treating EWA payments as “consumer loans” and subject to the requisite disclosure notices.

The Trend

Many employers will work to offer EWA through a third-party vendor to meet demand as employees feel the squeeze caused by rising inflation and other economic pressures. Especially as more regulations come into play, this could be the right solution for those who actually need the money to cover something urgent. 

The Bottom Line

EWA can be a valuable tool to offer employees, but it’s best paired with a financial education solution that can help them understand when it’s the right lever to pull - and when it’s not.

Interested? Check out our full article for more trends in financial wellness.