National Savings Rate
An estimate from the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the amount of income left over after subtracting consumption costs and expenditures. The National Savings Rate, though it is referred to as a "savings rate," does not actually measure the amount of money Americans are saving or investing for the long-term. National savings include savings left over from personal, business and government.
The National Savings Rate is confusing at first glance, due to the fact that it is often substantially less than what the typical American reports contributing to their employer-sponsored retirement plans and IRAs. This difference is because the national savings rate includes government savings, and they are usually reporting deficits which lowers the national savings rate.
Investment dictionary.
Academic.
2012.