A poll of 1,500 American voters found that most, 65 percent, expect the economic recovery to be long and arduous, taking at least a year, said CNBC. In a distant second, 15 percent said a recovery will take between 10 and12 months, with any predictions of a speedier recovery held only by a small minority. While still small, the roughly 8 percent of people who think the economy will never recover outnumbered those who thought it would take 7-9 months, 3-6 months, or fewer than three months.

People were similarly pessimistic when it came to their own financial health. Thirty-five percent, of respondents thought their own personal finances would take over a year to recover. Meanwhile, a little over 20 percent said it would only take three months or less, compared to the 16 percent who said it would take 10-12 months. Roughly 7 percent believed the pandemic has doomed them, as they said their finances will never recover.

In contrast with the general public, accountants and other finance professionals are feeling very confident, according to a third-quarter 2020 survey from the Institute of Management Accountants and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. The survey took place between Aug. 25 and Sept. 8, and attracted 1,067 responses from ACCA and IMA members, including more than 100 CFOs. Global confidence is at a three-and-a-half year high, despite fears of ongoing business closures worldwide, having grown by about 35 percent compared to attitudes in the second quarter. This is due to orders, capital spending and employment having all bounced back to some degree from the spring and summer low points.

Globally, in all regions, accounting and finance professionals expect their economies to begin recovering sometime after the first quarter of 2021.