What income is "middle class"?

The figure I heard was 17% sales tax,
but admittedly that was a while ago n I don 't remember the source.

A few percentages have been batted around depending on the year. My figures comes from the time when Forbes was running for president. I was still living in NYC and I went to a debate at the NYU business school where The Experts broke down all the candidates tax proposals to see if any of them would work, for the most part they didn't. I think it was also when George Bush Sr. was chanting "no new taxes" and then had to do an about face when the budget hit his desk.

I Don't think the middle class can truely be defined by a dollar amount. If you are keeping up with the Jones's without breaking the bank, whoever your Jones's are, then you are middle class.

Hey, sublime. Where you been? Hanging out with the Jones's?

I wouldn't hang out with them! Just working and spending most weekends in Michigan fixing stuff up before winter, no internet up there.

I make about $66,000 in taxable income. I'm yound and single so for me, I'm pretty well off, especially considering my upbringing. I make well over my parents combined. This is the first time, I've had health insurence. There are plenty of people who make more money than I do, but from my perspective, it's a lot more money than I know what to do with (I'm sure I'll figure out a way... save me the suggestions please). For my age, I feel very wealthy. I live in the DC area where the cost of living is high too, so I don't know how I would catagorize my income as?

Upper-middle?

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By government taxation standards yes. By ability to own a home and raise a family, lower middle.

No need for me to settle down yet. Renting is good for me while I establish a career. Seems reasonable.

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I didn't say it wasn't. But you could double your salary by moving to California and renting, and the weather's better.

I like Cali, but not LA... I think DC is pretty square on the cost of living with most of CA. I don't think I'd be saving any money.

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If you work in DC, you can work in NorCal. Your salary will be way higher, and rent probably not much more than you pay now. Look here:



I won't bother ya' any more.

For Tax Year 2006 (most recent available):

Percentiles by AGI AGI Threshold %Tax Paid
Top 1% $388,806 39.89%
Top 5% $153,542 60.14%
Top 10% $108,904 70.79%
Top 25% $64,702 86.27%
Top 50% $31,987 97.01%
Bottom 50% <$31,987 2.99%

Note: AGI is Adjusted Gross Income
Source: Internal Revenue Service
Link: http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=6

I love the San Jose / Sunnyvale area. I even met up with CI on my road trip through the area last year. There is some aerospace industry there. I may go one day. What's your obsession with CA? I would imagine you hate the place with it being so liberal etc?

What gives with the soft spot for the left coast?

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I lived there for 20 years. Hated the politics and housing costs, but loved the climate and stuff to do (and I'm a big foodie). Worked for Lockheed in Sunnyvale then Siemens at the old ROLM campus in Santa Clara for many years. My kids were all born there and my oldest is back in CA for college.

Why did you move from CA?

Onizuka? I dare not ask more if I'm barking up the right tree. But that should be a sort of tell on my behalf...

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Needed more room - can't afford to buy there. Plus Siemens closed the site I worked at, decided to try something different.

It's been rough.

I worked right across the street from the blue cube. Nuclear winter ground zero.

copy.

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I love you like a brother, Merry, but you really should get out more, take a look at the people, examine their demeanor, look at their toys and their homes. This is the Gilded Age anew.