One depressing reason millions of people are locked out of the American Dream
Millions of families are living in perpetual financial insecurity.
Low-income families are still unable to accrue enough savings to see themselves through a period of joblessness. Some 37% of those households are “liquid asset poor,” based on the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, meaning they don’t have enough money in their bank account or other assets to replace three months of income at the poverty level (that’s just $6,150 for a family of four).
This inability to save is partly due to irregular work, according to the “2017 Prosperity Now Scorecard,” an annual review of new research covering the state of finances of U.S. households by the Washington, D.C.-based Prosperity Now, formerly known as the Center for Enterprise Development, a nonprofit think tank focused on expanding opportunities for low-income families.
The report uses new data from several sources, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the U.S. Census Bureau. The “liquid asset poor” figure is supported by previous research of all income groups. (When asked if they had set aside a rainy day fund that would cover three months of expenses, only 47% said they did, a separate U.S. Federal Reserve study found.)
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/one-depressing-reason-millions-of-people-are-locked-out-of-the-american-dream-2017-07-25