Please define "Middle class"

[battlemaiden]

I have spent all morning looking up definitions. I had no idea how vague and varied the term would be.

 

Go ahead, give it your best shot. How do *you* define "middle class?"

 

Jo

 

** "all morning" is inaccurate. I've been reading about the growth of the middle class most of the morning, and it dawned on me that I didn't firmly know who the middle class was. **

[Barb_]

You can't really tie middle class to income level without taking into account multiple mitigating circumstances. I would say middle class is having enough money to pay bills with some discretionary income leftover. How much discretionary determines whether you are upper-middle, solid-middle or lower middle.

[battlemaiden]

You can't really tie middle class to income level without taking into account multiple mitigating circumstances. I would say middle class is having enough money to pay bills with some discretionary income leftover. How much discretionary determines whether you are upper-middle, solid-middle or lower middle.

 

I like it.

[Mrs Mungo]

Everyone wants to believe they are middle class…But this eagerness…has led the definition to be stretched like a bungee cord — used to defend/attack/describe everything…The Drum Major Institute…places the range for middle class at individuals making between $25,000 and $100,000 a year. Ah yes, there’s a group of people bound to run into each other while house-hunting.

—Dante Chinni

Census bureau defines the economics group this way:

 

1st quintile (working poor):

lower limit $0, upper limit $19,177

 

2nd quintile (lower middle class):

lower limit $19,179, upper limit $35,999

 

3rd quintile (middle class):

lower limit $36,000, upper limit $57,657

 

4th quintile (upper middle class):

lower limit $57,658, upper limit $91,704

 

5th quintile (upper class)

lower limit $91,705, upper limit ?

Edited April 6, 2011 by Mrs Mungo

[Hannah C.]

Either salaried or making enough money to have the equivalent. Also probably owning a house (depending on age). Basically having a "real" job.

 

We have discretionary income but dh is a waiter. I don't consider us middle class.

 

ETA: Thanks Mrs. Mungo for posting census bureau categories!

[lionfamily1999]

Mrs. Mungo, do you agree?

 

Maybe it's just the current cost of living, but those seem REALLY low, imo. Or maybe I read it wrong and it's based on one person, not a family... :lol:

[ChristusG]

I describe "middle class" as having all of your needs met, as well as some of your wants. Not extravagant wants....but reasonable wants.

[Mrs Mungo]

Mrs. Mungo, do you agree?

 

Maybe it's just the current cost of living, but those seem REALLY low, imo. Or maybe I read it wrong and it's based on one person, not a family... :lol:

 

Do they seem low for what purpose? They are defined by percentage quintiles. There are a LOT of working poor and lower middle class people out there raising families. It might suck, but there's a lot of it out there. Plus, these are national averages. You'll be able to do more with your money if you live in Oklahoma or Mississippi than if you live in NYC, Hawaii or LA (just as random examples).

[Night Elf]

1st quintile (working poor):

lower limit $0, upper limit $19,177

 

2nd quintile (lower middle class):

lower limit $19,179, upper limit $35,999

 

3rd quintile (middle class):

lower limit $36,000, upper limit $57,657

 

4th quintile (upper middle class):

lower limit $57,658, upper limit $91,704

 

5th quintile (upper class)

lower limit $91,705, upper limit ?

 

This was what I learned in my Econ class last summer. Although I don't recall the specific numbers, there were 5 quintiles and they were based on household income.

[Barb_]

Mrs. Mungo, do you agree?

 

Maybe it's just the current cost of living, but those seem REALLY low, imo. Or maybe I read it wrong and it's based on one person, not a family... :lol:

 

Exactly. Doesn't take into account family size, medical bills, self-employed or not, whether two parents or a single parent must work for that salary (and therefore needing childcare), high cost of living vs. low cost of living state, unreimbursed work expenses, etc.

 

ETA: Forgot to finish my thought. My point was, a family making $36K a year, paying for daycare for two little ones and has two other school aged children, maybe has no health insurance, and lives in say, Chicago is going to look a lot more like working poor than middle class.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Barb F. PA in AZ

[Mrs Mungo]

Exactly. Doesn't take into account family size, medical bills, self-employed or not, whether two parents or a single parent must work for that salary (and therefore needing childcare), high cost of living vs. low cost of living state, unreimbursed work expenses, etc.

 

The information I gave is based on household incomes. Whatever lifestyle choices you make (where to live, whether you have kids etc) don't play into it. If you make X amount of household income, then you are *literally* in one class based upon that. The middle quintile is exactly that, the middle quintile of household incomes.

[Barb_]

The information I gave is based on household incomes. Whatever lifestyle choices you make (where to live, whether you have kids etc) don't play into it. If you make X amount of household income, then you are *literally* in one class based upon that. The middle quintile is exactly that, the middle quintile of household incomes.

 

Got it. Sort of like the difference between my toddler's definition of a line and the Geometric definition of one :D

[battlemaiden]

The information I gave is based on household incomes. Whatever lifestyle choices you make (where to live, whether you have kids etc) don't play into it. If you make X amount of household income, then you are *literally* in one class based upon that. The middle quintile is exactly that, the middle quintile of household incomes.

 

But you are giving the governmental definition. It is broader. There are some vets collecting pension checks down in Kakaako park living in tents with cell phones. Their pension payouts may actually put them in the lower middle class quintile, but they are not what I would call middle class Americans.

 

Not to mention, I'm not limiting the definition to just America. Middle class in the Dominican Republic looks very different. It looks like Barb's definition.

[Mrs Mungo]

But you are giving the governmental definition. It is broader. There are some vets collecting pension checks down in Kakaako park living in tents with cell phones. Their pension payouts may actually put them in the lower middle class quintile, but they are not what I would call middle class Americans.

 

I did say that lifestyle choices (such as where you live) had nothing to do with the technical definition as far as your income goes.

 

Not to mention, I'm not limiting the definition to just America. Middle class in the Dominican Republic looks very different. It looks like Barb's definition.

 

Then, it's impossible to come up with a definition. My parents considered themselves middle class, even though they were raising four kids on a forklift driver's salary and were obviously working class. We have friends who were mad that they couldn't take any deductions when their combined income was over $350k last year, they also consider themselves middle class.

[Carrie12345]

Seeing my quintile makes me want to reevaluate every penny of my budget. After I throw up. :001_huh:

[Tap]

Here you go....it is even interactive.....LOL

[DawnM]

Wow, yeah, I think those figures are low. I am not sure where one would be able to make it on $19K for a family of 4 unless they had housing, health care and some expenses covered before pay (such as military).

 

And 92,000 is upper middle class? I was thinking along the lines of 200-250K min.

 

I was way off.

 

Dawn

 

 

Everyone wants to believe they are middle class…But this eagerness…has led the definition to be stretched like a bungee cord — used to defend/attack/describe everything…The Drum Major Institute…places the range for middle class at individuals making between $25,000 and $100,000 a year. Ah yes, there’s a group of people bound to run into each other while house-hunting.

 

—Dante Chinni

Census bureau defines the economics group this way:

 

1st quintile (working poor):

lower limit $0, upper limit $19,177

 

2nd quintile (lower middle class):

lower limit $19,179, upper limit $35,999

 

3rd quintile (middle class):

lower limit $36,000, upper limit $57,657

 

4th quintile (upper middle class):

lower limit $57,658, upper limit $91,704

 

5th quintile (upper class)

lower limit $91,705, upper limit ?

[elegantlion]

 

Everyone wants to believe they are middle class…But this eagerness…has led the definition to be stretched like a bungee cord — used to defend/attack/describe everything…The Drum Major Institute…places the range for middle class at individuals making between $25,000 and $100,000 a year. Ah yes, there’s a group of people bound to run into each other while house-hunting.

 

—Dante Chinni

Census bureau defines the economics group this way:

 

1st quintile (working poor):

lower limit $0, upper limit $19,177

 

2nd quintile (lower middle class):

lower limit $19,179, upper limit $35,999

 

3rd quintile (middle class):

lower limit $36,000, upper limit $57,657

 

4th quintile (upper middle class):

lower limit $57,658, upper limit $91,704

 

5th quintile (upper class)

lower limit $91,705, upper limit ?

 

I would say in my neck of the woods those would be accurate. 250k a year here would be above middle class, not wealthy, but certainly not middle class.

 

We've watched our quintiles slip lower each year, if we lived in other parts of the country we would be living a much poorer lifestyle.

 

I think middle class is knowing how to look like you have it all together, while banging your head a little when it comes bill paying time. Where you are on the scale might determine the choices you are able to make. For instance, you can afford food, but not what you want. You can afford a car, but not a new one, you can afford to eat out once in a while, but you still make choices at the restaurant by looking at the price first. You might even be able to afford a new dress for Easter, but it comes from Target not Macy's, not by choice, but by budget.

 

I've seen our choice power (my own phrase) decline in recent years. It's gone from deciding whether to spend the money, to not having any money left to decide how to spend.

 

I also think the average middle class is more likely to use credit to keep their lifestyle afloat. That's probably not true on this board, but I know plenty of people who charge what they think are necessities (what I would think were luxuries) without any hesitation.

[redsquirrel]

There are also cultural issues when it comes to class. If you have a 4 year college education, despite income, then you are often considered at least middle class. A teacher is considered a 'middle class job' because it requires a college education. A person who has a college education but does a job that doesn't require one is still considered middle class.

 

I am using the term more in a social science sense and not an economic one.

 

Cultural hallmarks of the middle class are, as I mentioned, a university education, home ownership being a possibility, a salaried income, being self employed is another one. Of course, one could have only one of these things. It is really hard to be a homeowner in manhattan but one could very well be middle class. A lawyer is middle class (upper) but might bill hourly and not be salaried. I know plenty of PhDs in this town who do not earn enough to buy a house. A police investigator might only have a two year degree but is salaried and could own a house. A plumber might have a two year degree and get paid hourly but own a house and their own business

 

The divisions between working class, lower-middle class, middle class, and upper-middle class can be difficult to pick apart.

[AHASRADA]

It was very helpful/eye-opening to see the "factual" breakdown of who is middle-class nationally.

 

On a more subjective/emotional level, I would personally define as follows:

 

working poor: barely making it, a paycheck or two away from homelessness, relying on community services and food pantries to make ends meet

 

lower-middle class: struggling but generally successful in keeping their heads above water, possibly relying on credit cards to cover bills, must budget tightly and while meeting most of their basic needs have little to no discretionary income

 

middle-class: reasonably stable, can fairly comfortably cover their basic bills, although they may struggle to pay unexpected/extra expenses such as home or car repairs, have a modest amount of discretionary income but must ration this spending carefully

 

upper-middle class: can cover all basic bills, budgeted "extras" as well as unexpected expenses. Have a comfortable amount of discretionary income allowing them to budget more broadly and spend a bit more freely

 

upper class: stable, all basic needs, unexpected expenses, extras and reasonable wants are covered (the extent of these "wants" depends on the level of upper class)

[readinmom]

Without offending anyone, right now I would qualify middle class as:

 

Making just enough money to pay the bills, but making too much to qualify for any financial aid or government program. (If you have a kid in college, you know what I mean)

[TravelingChris]

The interactive site Tap, tap, tap had in her post is very accurate. It measures prestige of occupation, educational level, income, and wealth. As I guessed, we came up upper class on three of the four (we are actually fairly low in wealth as we own no home).

 

Just using income alone is not accurate to class. Otherwise our college children would revert to low class when they were attending college. No, actually they are either keeping up their class or moving up their class status by attending college.

[Crissy]

I would say middle class is having enough money to pay bills with some discretionary income leftover. How much discretionary determines whether you are upper-middle, solid-middle or lower middle.

 

I agree with your definition, Barb.

[Crimson Wife]

"Middle class" to me would be an income that is 50%-150% of the median household income for a family of ___ persons in the particular area. "Upper middle class" would be 150%-250% of the median income.

 

So for example, out here in the S.F. Bay Area, the median income for a family of 4 is $87,287. Using my definiton of middle class would give a range of $43,644 to $130,931. Upper middle class would be $130,932 to $218,218. That sounds about right in terms of the kind of lifestyle that income would buy a family out here.

[TJinLOCA]

Without offending anyone, right now I would qualify middle class as:

 

Making just enough money to pay the bills, but making too much to qualify for any financial aid or government program. (If you have a kid in college, you know what I mean)

That's exactly where we are! My husband makes well over $100K/year and we own our home (a modest place on less than 1/4 acre). Looking at the income scales, I'm supposedly upper class??!! :rofl:

 

But I shop at thrift shops and buy food in bulk because I have three kids, two of whom are in college and we don't qualify for enough financial aid to make their tuition affordable. It's hard enough just to cover the regular bills, mortgage, and property taxes - the college costs are killing us. :(

 

"Middle class" to me would be an income that is 50%-150% of the median household income for a family of ___ persons in the particular area. "Upper middle class" would be 150%-250% of the median income.

 

So for example, out here in the S.F. Bay Area, the median income for a family of 4 is $87,287. Using my definiton of middle class would give a range of $43,644 to $130,931. Upper middle class would be $130,932 to $218,218. That sounds about right in terms of the kind of lifestyle that income would buy a family out here.

 

Now that sounds much closer to reality. We live in Santa Barbara County, which has a higher cost of living and higher incomes than many other areas (probably not quite as high as the Bay Area, though).

Edited April 7, 2011 by TJinLOCA

[DawnM]

WOW! That was very informative. DH and I rank in the 97th percentile for education. I had no idea! Our income was in the 90s as well. Again, I had no idea. We certainly don't FEEL like we are upper middle class.

 

Dawn

 

Here you go....it is even interactive.....LOL

Edited April 7, 2011 by DawnM

[lionfamily1999]

We end up in the middle every where... I had no idea we were doing so well :D

 

I'll have to call my sister and tell her she's not middle class anymore (can I throw an 'elitist' at her? :lol:). She's going to love that.

[Mrs Mungo]

Here you go....it is even interactive.....LOL

 

Great chart!

 

"Middle class" to me would be an income that is 50%-150% of the median household income for a family of ___ persons in the particular area. "Upper middle class" would be 150%-250% of the median income.

 

So for example, out here in the S.F. Bay Area, the median income for a family of 4 is $87,287. Using my definiton of middle class would give a range of $43,644 to $130,931. Upper middle class would be $130,932 to $218,218. That sounds about right in terms of the kind of lifestyle that income would buy a family out here.

 

This is probably a good definition too.

[Tabrett]

Going against the monetary rules for defining middle class, I think middle class is an attitude. It is about how you present yourself; how one takes care of themselves and their families.

Middle class people present themselves as educated, dressed appropriate for the occasion (I don't mean in expensive clothes, but appropriate), communicate well, are sanitary, have proper conduct, ect... I think one could be dirt poor and still be middle class.

At the present, I am considered impoverished because my dh lost his job and is now attending school. Even though, I may have changed status on paper, I still consider myself "middle class".

 

I think it is all about presentation and attitude; a mindset.

[BigMamaBird]

My very vague definition would be someone who, if they live within their means, can afford all their needs and many of their wants. They are able to pay their standard bills, put enough food on their table and clothes on their backs. They don't live extravagantly, but they are not on public assistance either.

[amy g.]

I agree with AHASRADA definitions completely.

 

According to the interactive chart, we are top 5%, but according to Tarbrett's definition, I'd be about as low class as possible. This morning, I picked some greens and rendered some lard. This afternoon, I brushed about 2 months worth of tangles out of Miss Bossy's hair, and my new resolution is to force my 16 year old to bathe more often than once a week.

[Desert Rat]

Hmm....for me, middle class was what we were 2 years ago and are no longer. We're looking up longingly at middle class.

For me, middle class is basically having enough money to pay your bills and have a little left over for fun and future without going into debt.

[Mrs Mungo]

Going against the monetary rules for defining middle class, I think middle class is an attitude. It is about how you present yourself; how one takes care of themselves and their families.

Middle class people present themselves as educated, dressed appropriate for the occasion (I don't mean in expensive clothes, but appropriate), communicate well, are sanitary, have proper conduct, ect... I think one could be dirt poor and still be middle class.

At the present, I am considered impoverished because my dh lost his job and is now attending school. Even though, I may have changed status on paper, I still consider myself "middle class".

 

I think it is all about presentation and attitude; a mindset.

 

I think this is more of a bourgeoisie v. proletariat mindset instead of a strictly economic mindset.

[joannqn]

That chart makes me :confused: and :001_huh: and :glare:.

 

According to the chart, DH's occupation and education are both in the top fifth yet he has never made even close to the median income for our area. According to the chart our income is in the middle and our wealth :smilielol5: is lower middle.

 

DH currently makes 65% of the median income for our area, but I'm sure that figure is based on a smaller family. According to the government, we qualify for free children's medical, WIC, food stamps, and possibly phone service. We can barely keep our kids in clothing and shoes that fit; they each have three pairs of pants that fit, 4-5 shirts, and one pair of shoes. We replace whoever's need is the greatest at the time. Two of my kids are wearing coats that are too small. We have no medical insurance. I've been treating a 3 week long sinus infection with ibuprofen, zytec, sudafed, and nasal irrigation because I can't afford the doctor. I haven't seen a dentist in 8 years. I have a hard time thinking we are middle class.

[jennynd]

this is 2003 data. things changed quite a bit in 8 years.

 

the combines salary of hubby and I is over 200k but I don't feel I am very well off.. seriously. I don't even remember when I bought clothes for myself last time. I have 3 pairs if shoes. I have one handbags. I drove a 10 years old nissan... I don't get any deduction in tax and the property tax is insane,,,

 

Here you go....it is even interactive.....LOL

[Mergath]

Ick. Dividing society into "classes" is something that's always annoyed me. (No offense to the OP, of course- just the general idea bugs me.) We're dirt poor, but I spent six years total in college, read Faulkner for fun, and my dd knows the difference between Vivaldi and Saint Saen. So, according to the charts, we're in the lowest "class" with every illiterate drug-using gangbanger in the country. But my ex-friend who married someone just for his money and tells her kids that people who read books are losers (that's an exact quote) is considered upper class.

 

And after rereading my post, I think there's just no way to have this discussion without sounding snobby and horrible, lol.

[Mrs Mungo]

Ick. Dividing society into "classes" is something that's always annoyed me. (No offense to the OP, of course- just the general idea bugs me.) We're dirt poor, but I spent six years total in college, read Faulkner for fun, and my dd knows the difference between Vivaldi and Saint Saen. So, according to the charts, we're in the lowest "class" with every illiterate drug-using gangbanger in the country. But my ex-friend who married someone just for his money and tells her kids that people who read books are losers (that's an exact quote) is considered upper class.

 

And after rereading my post, I think there's just no way to have this discussion without sounding snobby and horrible, lol.

 

This is why I was trying to look at it from a *technical*, economic standpoint. You can be poor and dress your kids well. You can be rich and tacky.

[lionfamily1999]

I agree with AHASRADA definitions completely.

 

According to the interactive chart, we are top 5%, but according to Tarbrett's definition, I'd be about as low class as possible. This morning, I picked some greens and rendered some lard. This afternoon, I brushed about 2 months worth of tangles out of Miss Bossy's hair, and my new resolution is to force my 16 year old to bathe more often than once a week.

:lol: Classy lady ;)

Hmm....for me, middle class was what we were 2 years ago and are no longer. We're looking up longingly at middle class.

For me, middle class is basically having enough money to pay your bills and have a little left over for fun and future without going into debt.

I'm starting to think that's for the upper middle class. We're "middle class" according to everything listed, but we can't afford those things either.

I think this is more of a bourgeoisie v. proletariat mindset instead of a strictly economic mindset.

:iagree:

this is 2003 data. things changed quite a bit in 8 years.

 

the combines salary of hubby and I is over 200k but I don't feel I am very well off.. seriously. I don't even remember when I bought clothes for myself last time. I have 3 pairs if shoes. I have one handbags. I drove a 10 years old nissan... I don't get any deduction in tax and the property tax is insane,,,

Especially the last eight years!

 

We're well below your income level, but I drive a nicer car and have more shoes... how strange is that? Not to dump on your car, I got mine used and it's older, but it's a Volvo.

[elegantlion]

Ick. Dividing society into "classes" is something that's always annoyed me. (No offense to the OP, of course- just the general idea bugs me.) We're dirt poor, but I spent six years total in college, read Faulkner for fun, and my dd knows the difference between Vivaldi and Saint Saen. So, according to the charts, we're in the lowest "class" with every illiterate drug-using gangbanger in the country. But my ex-friend who married someone just for his money and tells her kids that people who read books are losers (that's an exact quote) is considered upper class.

 

And after rereading my post, I think there's just no way to have this discussion without sounding snobby and horrible, lol.

 

:iagree:....or starting to sound like an Austen novel.

 

I was looking at it more from an economic point of view, not a "class" division, I've had enough of that in my life. :yuck:

 

I understand the question of the OP though.

[Trish]

Can afford to take the family on a week-long vacation at a halfway decent location/place. Just the first thing that popped into my head. When I was a kid that was a campout in cabins at a state park an hour away, so I think we were barely middle class. Although, I had two college educated parents. I will be interested to go back and read others' answers.

[justamouse]

Here you go....it is even interactive.....LOL

That has to be wrong.

 

The day I get to go to the food store and buy what I want without worrying about the budget? That's the day I call myself upper middle class.

 

"Middle class" to me would be an income that is 50%-150% of the median household income for a family of ___ persons in the particular area. "Upper middle class" would be 150%-250% of the median income.

 

So for example, out here in the S.F. Bay Area, the median income for a family of 4 is $87,287. Using my definiton of middle class would give a range of $43,644 to $130,931. Upper middle class would be $130,932 to $218,218. That sounds about right in terms of the kind of lifestyle that income would buy a family out here.

 

This is more like it.

 

WOW! That was very informative. DH and I rank in the 97th percentile for education. I had no idea! Our income was in the 90s as well. Again, I had no idea. We certainly don't FEEL like we are upper middle class.

 

Dawn

 

this is 2003 data. things changed quite a bit in 8 years.

 

the combines salary of hubby and I is over 200k but I don't feel I am very well off.. seriously. I don't even remember when I bought clothes for myself last time. I have 3 pairs if shoes. I have one handbags. I drove a 10 years old nissan... I don't get any deduction in tax and the property tax is insane,,,

 

Exactly.

[Mergath]

This is why I was trying to look at it from a *technical*, economic standpoint. You can be poor and dress your kids well. You can be rich and tacky.

 

Yup. But if we focus solely on economic class, there are so many variables it's pretty much impossible to divide society as a whole into distinct classes.

 

Also, I think I'm trying to keep up with too many of these sorts of threads at once. What was the question again? :tongue_smilie:

[Trish]

It seems just so American that there is NO lower class. You drop directly from lower middle to working poor. Now it seems to me Britain ought to have a right proper lower class. Anyone know?

[lionfamily1999]

Can afford to take the family on a week-long vacation at a halfway decent location/place. Just the first thing that popped into my head. When I was a kid that was a campout in cabins at a state park an hour away, so I think we were barely middle class. Although, I had two college educated parents. I will be interested to go back and read others' answers.

That's got to be the bastion of upper middle class, because the definitions and incomes listed aren't going to let that happen.

[Barb_]

 

Also, I think I'm trying to keep up with too many of these sorts of threads at once. What was the question again? :tongue_smilie:

 

See my tagline. I thought it was just my age.

[battlemaiden]

:hurray: It's not just me.

 

I still like Barb's answer. :D

 

I think there is a lot of room for debate :boxing_smiley::cheers2:, which is why we should take public debate about the "middle class" with a grain of salt.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input.

 

Jo

[Peela]

You know I never really thought or think of middle class as being solely about income although it is largely about it, for sure- traditionally, anyway.

Here in Australia...while the classes are more blurred than they used to be- I think of the working class as the manual labourers, the people who live in certain poorer suburbs, people who have a certain working class outlook on life- which is all about hard work, really. They also tend to be straightforward, a little rough around the edges, and a sort of "typical Aussie" stereotype. The thing is, many people who were traditionally working class went into the trades and with the building boom, they are now the seriously wealthy. I know people, and have neighbours and even relatives- who have a working class type of background, education and mentality- but who are wealthy for one reason or another.

To me the middle class is pretty much everyone else- anyone with an office job, a reasonable education- but also, its a different...energy. Less rough. Probably work with their head more than their hands. Probably soft hands :)

There is a small upper class and i have mixed with some of them at one point in my life. Not impressed. Mega wealthy though. But they are a minority.

Maybe I am out of touch. Here, many working class have made it big in certain industries- such as mining in my state- and many middle class professions such as teaching are not especially well paid.

 

But I guess what I am trying to say is that it is not completely income based- it is also a cultural thing. And it is changing all the time- the classes were more distinct a couple of decades ago.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Hmm, I always think of it in social terms rather than economic ( I haven 't read the whole thread so maybe this was discussed)? Our income places us in the middle class but dh and I both have a working poor mentality from childhood. Middle class people take vacations, expect their kids to do well in school and become professionals. Working poor ( rural at least) expect to go fishing or camping and hope their kids can get on at Walmart or even better the factory. It's hard to change life expectations.

[Hannah C.]

FAFSA version:

 

Poor -- you can't afford to pay anything and FAFSA agrees.

Lower middle class -- you can't afford to pay anything but FAFSA thinks you can.

Middle class -- you can afford to pay a little but FAFSA expects you to pay more.

Upper middle class -- you can afford to pay some but FAFSA thinks you can pay nearly all.

Upper class -- you really can afford to pay it all.

Mega Rich -- you don't even think about sending your kids to Harvard because that's just a drop in the bucket.

[Sputterduck]

FAFSA version:

 

Poor -- you can't afford to pay anything and FAFSA agrees.

Lower middle class -- you can't afford to pay anything but FAFSA thinks you can.

Middle class -- you can afford to pay a little but FAFSA expects you to pay more.

Upper middle class -- you can afford to pay some but FAFSA thinks you can pay nearly all.

Upper class -- you really can afford to pay it all.

Mega Rich -- you don't even think about sending your kids to Harvard because that's just a drop in the bucket.

 

LOL

 

FAFSA actually agrees with me! But what you said is so true.