Middle-class Americans remain the largest income group in the United States, but their share of the overall population is shrinking. In 2023, 51% of Americans lived in middle-class households, according a Pew Research Center analysis. That was down from 61% in 1971. Over the same time period, the share of Americans who live in lower-income and upper-income households expanded. What this means is that if you want to remain in the middle class — or move into a higher bracket — you need the right combination ...

Michail Petrov / Shutterstock.com The world is sitting back waiting, not-so-patiently, to see what the Federal Reserve, led by Jerome Powell, decides to do with interest rates ahead of 2026. After just announcing a rate cut at the end of October, Powell was unclear about whether another rate cut would come in December. All of this means that the investment world is waiting with bated breath to see what Powell will say next. Quick Read The Federal Reserve’s rate cuts make dividend ETFs more attractive a ...