In spite of this confidence, 80 percent say they've gone through significant setbacks that have weighed negatively on their finances—and they're also worried about what might get in the way of future success.

Survey respondents spanned ages 30–79, and among those in their thirties and forties, the top financial setback they've experienced was a job loss or career issue.

Among older respondents, however, market loss was the big problem.

And while 62 percent of respondents overall have fully recovered from these events, that doesn't mean they aren't afraid of what may be lurking ahead.

For those in their thirties and forties, job loss is their biggest fear; older people, naturally enough, are more afraid of health issues.

Despite those fears, respondents are a forward-thinking lot. Just 7 percent say they feel "stressed"; unsurprising, considering that 78 percent say they have more than enough money to cover essential expenses.

In addition, 78 percent say they're doing better financially than others their age. And asked to define financial success for themselves, "having a sense of security" is mentioned most often, followed by "being able to provide for my family."

Interestingly, despite the size of their investable assets, 34 percent actually have a household income below $100,000.

But they're a thrifty lot, saying that living within their means is the reason they're in such good financial shape.

And they pay attention to their finances, with 75 percent diversifying their investments and 61 percent paying down debt.

They also save for retirement, with 66 percent taking advantage of retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and having started to participate early on—55 percent say they did so in their twenties.

They also define the stages in their lives based not on age, but on financial goals.

While 17 percent see themselves as asset accumulators, 48 percent say they're asset maximizers and 35 percent are asset sustainers—and while viewed through the lens of age, one might expect each category to be filled with investors of a specific age group, that's not the case. Each group contains respondents across the age spectrum.

Asked which personal milestones had the biggest financial impact on them over the last five years, those in their thirties cited buying a home, while those in their forties said starting/changing jobs was the big one.

Supporting their children's accomplishments was the top milestone for those in their fifties, while naturally enough those in their sixties and seventies cite retirement.

But focus on retirement savings or not, 23 percent of respondents who have a 401(k) or other retirement account admit to borrowing or taking an early withdrawal from it.

But among respondents, 93 percent of those who took a loan say they've paid it back.

And then there's the whole issue of health, especially for those approaching retirement. It may be one of respondents' biggest financial fears overall, just 28 percent have long term-disability insurance and a quarter have long-term care insurance.