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Abstract Middle-class Americans maintain a structurally unequal relationship with the country’s largest banks. This asymmetry stems from persistent financial literacy gaps, the complexity of modern banking products, behavioral design that nudges consumers into costlier outcomes, and the scale advantages enjoyed by megabanks. Although regulators intervene episodically—most visibly in cases like Wells Fargo’s fake accounts scandal […]
Introduction Middle-class voters are the backbone of the American electorate. Their votes decide elections, and their voices shape national policy. In the 2020 presidential election, for example, middle-class suburban voters played a critical role in swinging key battleground states, underscoring their influence on electoral outcomes. Yet politicians often speak about the middle class in vague, […]
The lingering shadows of the Gilded Age stretch into the present, casting a long silhouette over America’s economic landscape. Families like the Waltons, the Mars clan, and the Cargill-MacMillans stand as pillars of enduring wealth, their fortunes built over decades and, in some cases, centuries. These dynasties have accumulated vast resources and mastered the art […]
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to make big moves with your finances, this is it. The Federal Reserve just made its first interest rate cut since 2020, slashing the federal funds rate by a full half percentage point. This is no small step—it’s a loud and clear signal that the era of “cheap […]
You’re not alone if you’ve noticed your savings dwindling or are finding it more challenging to set aside money. The U.S. personal savings rate has plummeted in recent months, reaching a low of 2.9% as of July 2024, a stark contrast to the pandemic peak of nearly 35% in April 2020. This decline is driven […]
The highly anticipated Apple Card has finally debuted, leaving many consumers wondering whether it’s worth applying for this new offering. While the allure of an Apple-branded credit card may be strong, a closer look reveals that it shares many similarities...
By MacKenzy Pierre
Zoning laws limit the construction of affordable housing; the intended and unintended consequences of those laws are Alphabet District in Northern Las Vegas and Los Angeles Skid Row. Zoning laws contribute significantly to the income gap, wealth inequality, and lack...
By MacKenzy Pierre
Bitcoin and Smart Money is not a pure moronic title, but the middle-income earners have to stop being the last ones on the investing bandwagon. The Bitcoin fever has proven Wall Street right once again. Retail investors, often middle-income America,...
By MacKenzy Pierre
The Federal Reserve’s surveys and studies on the financial stability of the American middle class revealed that nearly half of American workers could not afford a $400 emergency. One missed paycheck after the government shutdown, federal employees, could not pay...
By MacKenzy Pierre
Reality Check You shouldn’t need a translator to pay for college. Yet for too many middle-class families, the FAFSA feels like a maze with moving walls—new...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Reality Check You’re looking at your budget and your chest gets tight. Rent, groceries that cost more than last year, childcare, car insurance. And now those...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Reality Check Your paycheck stops; your life doesn’t. It’s Day 31 of the shutdown. Rent is due today, the daycare draft hits tomorrow, and you’re staring...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
The Plain‑English Take There was a time when a steady paycheck, a pension, and a gold watch weren’t a fantasy. They were the deal. If you...
By FMC Editorial Team
Most middle-class households aren’t “bad with money.” They’re paying a quiet tax in fixed costs and frictions—housing, healthcare, childcare, and high-APR debt—that eat the raise before...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Why this matters (more than your will) A once-a-year habit that keeps your intentions aligned with your paperwork—and your family out of avoidable messes. For a...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Reality Check You don’t need another lecture. You need a plan that works in the middle of real life—when the rent is due, the car needs...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
You’ve got a will for the house and the car. Good. But what about the stuff that actually runs your life—email, bank logins, bill-pay portals, cloud...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
You can feed a full house without making your card issuer fat and happy. The trick isn’t starving the table—it’s starving the waste. Why the Table...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Travel is where good budgets go to die. Prices spike, emotions run hot, and suddenly you’re financing nostalgia at 24% APR. This plan keeps the trip—and...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Reality Check You shouldn’t need a translator to pay for college. Yet for too many...
Reality Check You’re looking at your budget and your chest gets tight. Rent, groceries that...
Reality Check Your paycheck stops; your life doesn’t. It’s Day 31 of the shutdown. Rent...