Other key survey findings include:

Feelings about financial security: When asked to describe how they have felt about their financial security during the pandemic, the vast majority of investors say they feel fortunate (79 percent), resilient (76 percent) and confident (70 percent).
Circumstances during pandamic: Natixis found a mix of emotions among investors depending on their circumstances during the pandemic. Four in ten (43 percent) say they are stressed about their financial security. One in three have felt vulnerable (30 percent), even fearful (30 percent).
Setbacks: Gen Yers and Gen Xers are twice as likely than baby boomers to say the pandemic significantly set them back financially (23 percent of Gen Y and 28 percent of Gen X, compared to 11 percent of baby boomers).
Emergency savings: Four in ten (41 percent) investors say the pandemic taught them the importance of having an emergency savings account. For those households directly affected by the virus, the percentage was higher (53 percent), while for those who weren't, the percentage fell to 38 percent. Half (50 percent) of Gen Xers and 53 percent of Gen Yers say they realized this last year, compared to 31 percent of baby boomers, who likely already knew the importance of having an emergency account.
Realizing breadwinner role: More than a third (38 percent) of investors in households where they or other members caught COVID-19 say the pandemic opened their eyes to the role they play in their household's entire financial picture. Nearly as many (36 percent) say the experience taught them the importance of having an estate plan. The percentage (24 percent) is lower for those whose households were not infected.
Understanding risks: After a year that saw both the swiftest market downturn and the swiftest recovery on record, nearly a quarter (24 percent) of investors say the pandemic taught them the importance of understanding risks in their portfolio. Slightly more (27 percent) say they learned the importance of avoiding emotional investment decisions, including 34 percent of both Gen Xers and Gen Yers.
Changes prompted by pandemic: For all investors, 58 percent made changes in their investing accounts as a result of the pandemic. A third (33 percent) increased trading activity, 20 percent say they invested more money and 16 percent increased contributions to their retirement savings plans.
Generational based: While 63 percent of baby boomers say they have made no changes in their investment accounts, 82 percent of Gen Yers and 75 percent of Gen Xers have, including roughly one in four who invested more money.
Online trading: Gen Yers are most likely to increase online trading activity (43 percent) and to have opened a margin account (13 percent). They also are most likely to say in that, in retrospect, they learned the importance of weighing the tax consequences of their investment decisions (27 percent).
Comfortable with risk: A majority of investors (60 percent) say they are comfortable taking risks to get ahead. Three-quarters (75 percent) recognize market swings of 10 percent up or down as a normal occurrence, and 68 percent have even grown comfortable with the idea that volatility can create opportunities to grow wealth.
Asset protection over performance: However, most investors (77 percent), including 75 percent of Gen Xers and 79 percent of Gen Yers, say they would choose the safety of asset protection over investment performance. They rank volatility as their biggest immediate investment concern, ahead of a slower-than-expected economic recovery, inflation and political dysfunction. Meanwhile, they say their greatest financial fear is the prospect of increased taxes, ranking it ahead of healthc are costs and job security.

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