"Ah to be a teenager. Although the down economy continues to pound on job seekers and young adults coping with record levels of student loan debt, a recent survey of teenagers reveals that they’re pretty optimistic about their financial future.

The problem: That optimism doesn’t seem to jibe with reality. Some 52% of those surveyed said they expect to be as financially well-off as their parents and 34% say they’ll be better off than their parents, according to a recent survey of 1,000 teens, ages 12-17, from non-profit Junior Achievement and the Allstate Foundation."