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The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?

Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?

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  • MikM Away
    MikM Away
    Mik
    wrote on last edited by
    #6

    Underestimated. It states $72K for a family with one child in my area. You might have been able to do that 20 years ago but not today.

    “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

    1 Reply Last reply
    • JollyJ Offline
      JollyJ Offline
      Jolly
      wrote on last edited by
      #7

      49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

      Maybe, but doubtful...

      “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

      Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

      LuFins DadL MikM 2 Replies Last reply
      • Doctor PhibesD Offline
        Doctor PhibesD Offline
        Doctor Phibes
        wrote on last edited by
        #8

        They're saying $136K where we are with two kids, but $30K of it is child-care, and Mrs. Phibes did it for free (God, I hope she doesn't read this)

        What does $23K of taxes include? Our property tax is only about $5K - not sure what that number is supposed to reflect.

        I was only joking

        1 Reply Last reply
        • JollyJ Jolly

          49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

          Maybe, but doubtful...

          LuFins DadL Offline
          LuFins DadL Offline
          LuFins Dad
          wrote on last edited by
          #9

          @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

          49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

          Maybe, but doubtful...

          May I ask what county?

          The Brad

          JollyJ 1 Reply Last reply
          • JollyJ Jolly

            49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

            Maybe, but doubtful...

            MikM Away
            MikM Away
            Mik
            wrote on last edited by
            #10

            @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

            49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

            Maybe, but doubtful...

            Not and live in any comfort at all.

            “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

            1 Reply Last reply
            • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

              @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

              49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

              Maybe, but doubtful...

              May I ask what county?

              JollyJ Offline
              JollyJ Offline
              Jolly
              wrote on last edited by
              #11

              @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

              @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

              49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

              Maybe, but doubtful...

              May I ask what county?

              None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

              “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

              Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

              LuFins DadL MikM JollyJ 3 Replies Last reply
              • LuFins DadL Offline
                LuFins DadL Offline
                LuFins Dad
                wrote on last edited by
                #12

                Modest yet adequate… Those are the key words… Ax titled it as middle class but that phrase is wide open to interpretation…

                The Brad

                1 Reply Last reply
                • JollyJ Jolly

                  @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                  @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                  49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

                  Maybe, but doubtful...

                  May I ask what county?

                  None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

                  LuFins DadL Offline
                  LuFins DadL Offline
                  LuFins Dad
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #13

                  @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                  @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                  @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                  49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

                  Maybe, but doubtful...

                  May I ask what county?

                  None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

                  Okay, Parish, smart ass…

                  The Brad

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • JollyJ Jolly

                    @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                    @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                    49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

                    Maybe, but doubtful...

                    May I ask what county?

                    None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

                    MikM Away
                    MikM Away
                    Mik
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #14

                    @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                    @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                    @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                    49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

                    Maybe, but doubtful...

                    May I ask what county?

                    None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

                    Parish the thought.

                    “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • JollyJ Jolly

                      @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                      @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                      49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

                      Maybe, but doubtful...

                      May I ask what county?

                      None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

                      JollyJ Offline
                      JollyJ Offline
                      Jolly
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #15

                      @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                      @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                      @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                      49k for two people, no children in my area. I assume that's take home pay, after all deductions.

                      Maybe, but doubtful...

                      May I ask what county?

                      None. We don't have counties. 😛😛

                      Seriously...That would be North and Central Louisiana, or maybe most of the state north of I-10, excluding the metropolitan areas.

                      I've never figured out why we don't aggressively recruit retirees. We have Homestead Exemption, which keeps property taxes low or nonexistent. We have a state income tax, but it doesn't apply to state pensions, federal (I think) pensions or Social Security. We do have a fairly high sales tax. In the more economically poor areas of the state, you can still find land reasonable...Right now, I know of a 3/2 brick veneer for $650,000...With barn, outbuildings and 80 acres of mixed woodland and improved pasture.

                      “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                      Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • LuFins DadL Offline
                        LuFins DadL Offline
                        LuFins Dad
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #16

                        I think the disagreement has a lot to do with our own definitions of "Middle Class" as Ax described it or "modest yet adequate" as expressed by EPI. This isn't perfect, but it's light years ahead of the Federal guidelines used in legislation...

                        My wife grew up in Brown County, Ohio. These are the numbers from EPI:

                        Brown County, OH
                        HOUSING $738
                        FOOD $725
                        CHILD CARE $1,131
                        TRANSPORTATION $1,215
                        HEALTH CARE $1,068
                        OTHER NECESSITIES $530
                        TAXES $517
                        MONTHLY TOTAL $5,924
                        ANNUAL TOTAL $71,090

                        So let's start with housing since that's likely to be the biggest variable...

                        I used $750 just to make things easier calculations. Most online calculators using $750 as a base payment with 20% down came up with a housing price of between $165K to $190K as being in that budget. $180K gets me - https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1205-S-2nd-St-Ripley-OH-45167/78963340_zpid/

                        I'd say that's modest but adequate.

                        The Brad

                        AxtremusA 1 Reply Last reply
                        • JollyJ Offline
                          JollyJ Offline
                          Jolly
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #17

                          I would agree.

                          “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                          Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                          LuFins DadL 1 Reply Last reply
                          • JollyJ Jolly

                            I would agree.

                            LuFins DadL Offline
                            LuFins DadL Offline
                            LuFins Dad
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #18

                            @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                            I would agree.

                            Picked at random - Beauregard Parish, LA
                            MONTHLY COSTS
                            2 adults and 2 children
                            Beauregard Parish, LA
                            HOUSING $725
                            FOOD $787
                            CHILD CARE $643
                            TRANSPORTATION $1,272
                            HEALTH CARE $1,545
                            OTHER NECESSITIES $548
                            TAXES $603
                            MONTHLY TOTAL $6,122
                            ANNUAL TOTAL $73,462

                            https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/107-N-Division-St-Deridder-LA-70634/106017626_zpid/ That's actually pretty nice...

                            The Brad

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • LuFins DadL LuFins Dad

                              I think the disagreement has a lot to do with our own definitions of "Middle Class" as Ax described it or "modest yet adequate" as expressed by EPI. This isn't perfect, but it's light years ahead of the Federal guidelines used in legislation...

                              My wife grew up in Brown County, Ohio. These are the numbers from EPI:

                              Brown County, OH
                              HOUSING $738
                              FOOD $725
                              CHILD CARE $1,131
                              TRANSPORTATION $1,215
                              HEALTH CARE $1,068
                              OTHER NECESSITIES $530
                              TAXES $517
                              MONTHLY TOTAL $5,924
                              ANNUAL TOTAL $71,090

                              So let's start with housing since that's likely to be the biggest variable...

                              I used $750 just to make things easier calculations. Most online calculators using $750 as a base payment with 20% down came up with a housing price of between $165K to $190K as being in that budget. $180K gets me - https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1205-S-2nd-St-Ripley-OH-45167/78963340_zpid/

                              I'd say that's modest but adequate.

                              AxtremusA Offline
                              AxtremusA Offline
                              Axtremus
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #19

                              @LuFins-Dad said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                              I think the disagreement has a lot to do with our own definitions of "Middle Class" as Ax described it or "modest yet adequate" as expressed by EPI. This isn't perfect, but it's light years ahead of the Federal guidelines used in legislation...

                              Exactly, the primary reason I share it here is because I think the EPI's method is more useful than the Federal guidelines.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • JollyJ Offline
                                JollyJ Offline
                                Jolly
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #20

                                Hey, D'Evereaux is for sale... Comes with 12 acres...

                                https://www.trulia.com/p/ms/natchez/160-devereaux-dr-natchez-ms-39120--2155767171

                                alt text

                                “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                                Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • George KG Offline
                                  George KG Offline
                                  George K
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #21

                                  $1.9M?

                                  That's more than I earn in 6 months.

                                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • JollyJ Offline
                                    JollyJ Offline
                                    Jolly
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #22

                                    Yeah, but it's bigger than your condo...

                                    “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                                    Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                                    George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                                    • JollyJ Jolly

                                      Yeah, but it's bigger than your condo...

                                      George KG Offline
                                      George KG Offline
                                      George K
                                      wrote on last edited by George K
                                      #23

                                      @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                      Yeah, but it's bigger than your condo...

                                      Taxes are probably lower, LOL.

                                      ETA: They are!

                                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                      KlausK JollyJ 2 Replies Last reply
                                      • George KG George K

                                        @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                        Yeah, but it's bigger than your condo...

                                        Taxes are probably lower, LOL.

                                        ETA: They are!

                                        KlausK Offline
                                        KlausK Offline
                                        Klaus
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #24

                                        @George-K said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                        @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                        Yeah, but it's bigger than your condo...

                                        Taxes are probably lower, LOL.

                                        ETA: They are!

                                        And you would have space for a workshop!

                                        George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • KlausK Klaus

                                          @George-K said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                          @Jolly said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                          Yeah, but it's bigger than your condo...

                                          Taxes are probably lower, LOL.

                                          ETA: They are!

                                          And you would have space for a workshop!

                                          George KG Offline
                                          George KG Offline
                                          George K
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #25

                                          @Klaus said in Middle Class? How much income needed to live modestly and adequately?:

                                          And you would have space for a workshop!

                                          Yup!

                                          But...

                                          It's Mississippi.

                                          (@klaus probably won't get this)

                                          Q: Why does Alabama exist?

                                          A: To keep Georgia from getting its border dirty.

                                          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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