Everyone thinks wealthy people sleep soundly at night. But that's not quite reality anymore. Turns out even solid six-figure incomes, upscale zip codes, and fat retirement portfolios don't actually cure financial anxiety. It sticks around anyway.

The real culprit? Most high earners grew up watching money problems destroy families. That fear of backsliding—of losing it all and tumbling down—never really goes away. It's locked in their psychology. No matter how much sits in the account, the scars from watching struggle run deeper.