Nearly one quarter of Americans have less than $100 in savings to cover an emergency expense, and many would not turn to family members for a loan, according to findings from a new survey from online lender CashNetUSA.com.

The data also show that a significant percentage of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

The survey was conducted in February by TNS Omnibus on behalf of CashNetUSA.com and included responses from a national sample of 1,000 Americans.

Editor's Note: The ‘Unthinkable’ Could Happen — Wall Street Journal. Prepare for Meltdown

Specifically, 23 percent of the respondents have less than $100 in savings, while 46 percent report having less than $800.

Only 41 percent of those surveyed “definitely” or “probably” would turn to family members in the event of a financial emergency.

Fifty-five percent of the respondents with children under the age of 18 report having less than $800 to handle an emergency.

Women are slightly more willing than men are to ask a family member for a loan (44 percent vs. 38 percent, respectively). In addition, those individuals living in the Northeast (45 percent) are the mostly likely to ask family for a loan, followed by those living in the South (42 percent), North Central (40 percent) and the West (35 percent).

Those under 30 (54 percent) are most likely to ask a family member for a loan, followed by those aged 30 to 49 (48 percent), those aged 40 to 49 (40 percent) and those 50 to 59 (33 percent). Only 30 percent of those aged 60 or older would be willing to ask a family member for a loan.

“Too many Americans are facing a cash crisis, unprepared financially to handle life’s unexpected emergencies and family can only help so much,” said Keith Weinberger, senior director of marketing and new initiatives at CashNetUSA.com.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Census Bureau released data that showed the nation’s official poverty rate in 2011 was 15.0 percent, with 46.2 million people living in poverty. Median family household income declined by 1.7 percent between 2010 and 2011 to $62,273, and real median household income was 8.1 percent lower than it was in 2007, the year before the most recent recession.

Editor's Note: The ‘Unthinkable’ Could Happen — Wall Street Journal. Prepare for Meltdown