They said you would own nothing and be happy. The dollar shrinks, wages flatline, and the wealth machine is being moved out of reach.
DEBT
$1.3T
in US credit card balances. The average household carries $10,366 with no plan to pay it off.
NY Federal Reserve, Q1 2026 Household Debt Report
RETIREMENT
54%
of US households have no dedicated retirement savings. Median balance ages 21 to 64: $955.
Federal Reserve, Survey of Consumer Finances
LIQUIDITY
78%
of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. One missed deposit away from default.
LendingClub Reality Check, 2024
INFLATION
23%
of the dollar’s purchasing power has been erased since 2020. Wages haven’t kept up.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI 2020 to 2026