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I. The Middle-Class Mirage Every few election cycles, the American middle class is asked to choose between its ideals and its interests. Too often, it chooses the wrong one. It rallies against unions that once secured its weekends, votes to cut unemployment benefits that could cushion its own job loss, and supports budget cuts that […]
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 […]
Why Life Insurance Matters (Now More Than Ever) Most people think life insurance is for “older folks” or those with major health issues. But truthfully? It’s for anyone with someone depending on their income. Life insurance is the quiet hero...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
I. The Locked Door of the American Dream If house-hunting feels harder than it was for your parents, that’s because it is. Home prices have climbed faster than paychecks, interest rates have doubled in three years, and listings in the...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Introduction: A National Blind Spot Every year, surveys reveal an uncomfortable truth: the majority of Americans fail basic financial literacy questions. According to FINRA’s Investor Education Foundation, 73% of U.S. adults cannot correctly answer simple questions on interest, inflation, and...
By FMC Editorial Team
Introduction: Why the Same Names Keep Coming Up When headlines break about banks mistreating customers, the names are often familiar: Wells Fargo. Bank of America. Citibank. JPMorgan. It feels like déjà vu: new fines, new scandals, new promises to “rebuild...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Many Americans are earning more than ever, but far too many have almost nothing to show for it beyond bills, debt, and stress. Even as wages...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
If you’re sitting on a 3% mortgage right now, congratulations — and I’m sorry. Congratulations, because you locked in one of the best deals the American...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Introduction: A Tiny Coin, a Loud Message In February 2025, President Trump told Treasury to stop making new pennies, calling the coin wasteful because it cost...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
In the 1930s, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s team looked at a housing market full of short, risky mortgages and said: we’re going to redesign this so regular...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Black and Hispanic workers who do everything right — enroll in their employer’s 401(k) or 403(b), contribute regularly and try to build for retirement — are...
By FMC Editorial Team
Introduction: The latest FICO® Score Credit Insights report shows something easy to miss if you only look at the headline number: yes, the national average score...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
There’s a quiet tax on the American middle class, and it’s not just the one you file in April — it’s the lifestyle tax. The pressure...
By MacKenzy Pierre
Too many middle-class Americans are taking care of two generations at once. You’ve got a kid in college, or one boomeranging back home, and at the...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Too many of you are cooking for 25 when 12 RSVPed. That’s why hosting feels expensive. Not because people don’t want to bring anything — but...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
“Setting a One-Gift Rule to protect the family budget” — Financial Middle Class Too many of us are blowing past our December budget because nobody wants...
By Article Posted by Staff Contributor
Many Americans are earning more than ever, but far too many have almost nothing to...
If you’re sitting on a 3% mortgage right now, congratulations — and I’m sorry. Congratulations,...
Introduction: A Tiny Coin, a Loud Message In February 2025, President Trump told Treasury to...