Tavis Smiley/Nationwide Survey Says Blacks Should Be More Proactive With Their Finances

Findings from a recent study commissioned by talk-show host Tavis Smiley and Nationwide Insurance reveal that although African Americans are talking positively about their financial situations in the face of the ongoing economic crisis, they are not taking proper actions to produce positive results for their finances.

Smiley announced the survey results on February 27th during the 10th Annual State of the Black Union conference. The study said that 58% of African Americans believe their household situation will be better a year from now, compared with 30% of the general population -- but most African Americans also admitted that they are not taking deliberate actions to improve their financial circumstances. According to the study:

"Less than half said they are proactive about their financial future; Three-quarters said they do not have a written financial plan; One-third said they don't know where to start when it comes to personal financial planning, and; Nearly nine out of ten acknowledged that they do not have a financial adviser because they think they don't need one or they think they can't afford one"

It's hard to see how these attitudes are going to help African Americans obtain the American Dream.

In a press release, Tavis Smiley indicated that while the positive attitude was welcome, he didn't think African Americans were as "practical, proactive and prepared" as they need to be. "This survey reveals the critical need for an honest assessment of our financial status so that we can be sure that we are taking the steps necessary to safeguard the future for ourselves, our families and the next generation," he said.

So how do you become more proactive about your current financial situation?

Get over your fear of everything financial. It is amazing how people allow their fear of learning about money to become greater than their fear of losing their money. Would you be more ashamed of humbling yourself enough to ask a question about stocks, bonds and investing, or more ashamed to allow your 401(k) account to dwindle into nothing because you were too proud to ask someone's help in deciding what to invest in? In this environment there is no shame in seeking out financial advice. Only ONE mutual fund finished in positive territory last year, so if the pros need help making money, so do you!

Open an online trading account. You can open a trading account for as little as $25 and then commit to adding money to the account EVERY pay day. This will make the investing experience real and will condition you to begin thinking about what you'd like to invest your money in. Most trading accounts also provide stock and mutual fund research, so begin by reading what analysts are saying about companies you know and believe in (generally the products and services you use everyday). Invest only when you feel confident that you understand why a company should be successful in the future. If you don't want to commit money, you can start a "mock trading account" on AOL Money & Finance or any number of other websites.

Get investment information and news from financial websites. If you can surf for a blog that provides info on Paris Hilton, you can search for a website that will give you info on Hilton Hotels, a stock that you can buy shares in. Websites can keep you aware of news that might affect a stock's performance. Check out financial news websites like TheStreet.com, CNNMoney.com and MarketWatch.com. Morningstar.com is the top site for information on mutual funds. For more sophisticated financial news and commentary, check out Daily Finance.com and wsj.com.

Only positive action will turn your financial future into one of positive again.

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