Are you "Upper Middle Class"?

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

[michigancat]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

You don't deduct mortgage interest or have a tax-advantaged retirement account or a 529?

[star seed 7]

very boring and whiney piece

[michigancat]

And it seems like you have a great deal of political clout when you align yourself with wealthy California liberals like you often do

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

You don't deduct mortgage interest or have a tax-advantaged retirement account or a 529?

I do both of those things. But I also bet I'll end up with a higher percentage tax burden than about 98% of the country. I won't get back into the HENRY rant (yet).

[Tobias]

no

[michigancat]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

You don't deduct mortgage interest or have a tax-advantaged retirement account or a 529?

I do both of those things. But I also bet I'll end up with a higher percentage tax burden than about 98% of the country. I won't get back into the HENRY rant (yet).

What exactly is this rant about, then?

And to answer your question, I'm probably upper middle class for most of the country and middle middle class in the bay area. Have a 529 and a couple retirement accounts but can't afford mortgage deduction or try to restrict training of new doctors or anything.

Still, I feel very fortunate to be in my situation.

[star seed 7]

the rant is about his persecution complex showing

[Headinjun]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

#victim

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

You don't deduct mortgage interest or have a tax-advantaged retirement account or a 529?

I do both of those things. But I also bet I'll end up with a higher percentage tax burden than about 98% of the country. I won't get back into the HENRY rant (yet).

What exactly is this rant about, then?

And to answer your question, I'm probably upper middle class for most of the country and middle middle class in the bay area. Have a 529 and a couple retirement accounts but can't afford mortgage deduction or try to restrict training of new doctors or anything.

Still, I feel very fortunate to be in my situation.

It's not a rant about anything per se. I just thought it was a weird article to claim that the upper middle class is the problem. It seems to me that the upper middle class carries a big portion of the tax burden, doesn't consume the entitlements, drives the economy with consumption, and works their butts off at many important highly educated professions.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

I'm apart of no class, a lone wolf per se, just kicking ass on a daily basis. I get fist mumped by the federal government for my labors and receive essentially zero benefit.


Any dipshit that wants to argue that tax deferred or deductible expenses is giving me a break can go eff themselves. This notion that I'm getting a break from paying the usual 40-50% of my income in taxes is absurd. Nobody should have anywhere near 40% of their income taken from them, that is absolutely outrageous and oppressive.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

Some day, in one of these pathetic welfare states, the bougie is going to revolt and kill the proletariat, and the world will be a better place.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

Some day, in one of these pathetic welfare states, the bougie is going to revolt and kill the proletariat, and the world will be a better place.

It's in the bizarro version of the communist manifesto.

[steve dave]

I'm not good at knowing where the dividing lines between classes are. Is it a hard metric or more of a feel thing?

[Kat Kid]

I'm not good at knowing where the dividing lines between classes are. Is it a hard metric or more of a feel thing?

If you go by the data http://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States

Then I would imagine that nearly everyone on here is upper middle class or upper class by household income.

You are in the top 25% of the U.S. households in income if you make $75,000 in combined income.

It is kind of shocking how easily people convince themselves of their "middle class" status by only comparing themselves to people richer than them.

[wetwillie]

Classes are an illusion, something like 85% of people identify as middle class.

[michigancat]

This guy doesn't like you.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/01/the_upper_middle_class_is_ruining_all_that_is_great_about_america.html

I think I'm "upper middle class" and I'm not sure I agree with his assessment. It seems that I actually pay the HIGHEST tax burden and have very little political power. I don't get the tax breaks or subsidies reserved for the poor or uber rich. So what is this dude complaining about me for?

You don't deduct mortgage interest or have a tax-advantaged retirement account or a 529?

I do both of those things. But I also bet I'll end up with a higher percentage tax burden than about 98% of the country. I won't get back into the HENRY rant (yet).

What exactly is this rant about, then?

And to answer your question, I'm probably upper middle class for most of the country and middle middle class in the bay area. Have a 529 and a couple retirement accounts but can't afford mortgage deduction or try to restrict training of new doctors or anything.

Still, I feel very fortunate to be in my situation.

It's not a rant about anything per se. I just thought it was a weird article to claim that the upper middle class is the problem. It seems to me that the upper middle class carries a big portion of the tax burden, doesn't consume the entitlements, drives the economy with consumption, and works their butts off at many important highly educated professions.

Well aren't you quite the martyr.

[michigancat]

I'm not good at knowing where the dividing lines between classes are. Is it a hard metric or more of a feel thing?

If you go by the data http://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States

Then I would imagine that nearly everyone on here is upper middle class or upper class by household income.

You are in the top 25% of the U.S. households in income if you make $75,000 in combined income.

It is kind of shocking how easily people convince themselves of their "middle class" status by only comparing themselves to people richer than them.

I don't think it's that shocking, it's just how humans act. At the same time they think they are a lower class than they are, I would guess a majority of people think they work harder than most people.

[michigancat]

I'm not good at knowing where the dividing lines between classes are. Is it a hard metric or more of a feel thing?

If you go by the data http://simple.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States

Then I would imagine that nearly everyone on here is upper middle class or upper class by household income.

You are in the top 25% of the U.S. households in income if you make $75,000 in combined income.

It is kind of shocking how easily people convince themselves of their "middle class" status by only comparing themselves to people richer than them.

I don't think it's that shocking, it's just how humans act. At the same time they think they are a lower class than they are, I would guess a majority of people think they work harder than most people.

Also, I probably underestimated my standing on a straight percentage scale.

[chum1]

For me, the greater my income has been, the less I've worried about taxes. These days, I just know there's crap that goes into accounts and crap that comes out and I don't pay much attention to any of it. And that always makes me think that people who claim to be upper middle class and talk about taxes are lying about their income.

[Kat Kid]

For me, the greater my income has been, the less I've worried about taxes. These days, I just know there's crap that goes into accounts and crap that comes out and I don't pay much attention to any of it. And that always makes me think that people who claim to be upper middle class and talk about taxes are lying about their income.

I am same as you, but people don't have a universal attitude toward money.  Not everyone places the same value on a dollar. 

[chum1]

For me, the greater my income has been, the less I've worried about taxes. These days, I just know there's crap that goes into accounts and crap that comes out and I don't pay much attention to any of it. And that always makes me think that people who claim to be upper middle class and talk about taxes are lying about their income.

I am same as you, but people don't have a universal attitude toward money.  Not everyone places the same value on a dollar.

Yeah, and I'd expect that most people don't manage money well, either. STILL, I just often get the feeling that people who like to bitch about taxes also like to lie about their income. Could be wrong. Just a feeling.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

For me, the greater my income has been, the less I've worried about taxes. These days, I just know there's crap that goes into accounts and crap that comes out and I don't pay much attention to any of it. And that always makes me think that people who claim to be upper middle class and talk about taxes are lying about their income.

I am same as you, but people don't have a universal attitude toward money.  Not everyone places the same value on a dollar.

Yeah, and I'd expect that most people don't manage money well, either. STILL, I just often get the feeling that people who like to bitch about taxes also like to lie about their income. Could be wrong. Just a feeling.

That's an interesting perspective. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are pretty nonchalant about finances - incomes, expenses, taxes etc. but I wonder if it has any connection to your circumstances and responsibilities. If you don't mind sharing, what's your approx age, income and number of kids?

[Dr Rick Daris]

For me, the greater my income has been, the less I've worried about taxes. These days, I just know there's crap that goes into accounts and crap that comes out and I don't pay much attention to any of it. And that always makes me think that people who claim to be upper middle class and talk about taxes are lying about their income.

yes on first probably not on second part. i think people just like to complain about other people and the upper middle bitchers somehow make themselves feel important when they complain about where their money is going.

[Kat Kid]

For me, the greater my income has been, the less I've worried about taxes. These days, I just know there's crap that goes into accounts and crap that comes out and I don't pay much attention to any of it. And that always makes me think that people who claim to be upper middle class and talk about taxes are lying about their income.

I am same as you, but people don't have a universal attitude toward money.  Not everyone places the same value on a dollar.

Yeah, and I'd expect that most people don't manage money well, either. STILL, I just often get the feeling that people who like to bitch about taxes also like to lie about their income. Could be wrong. Just a feeling.

That's an interesting perspective. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are pretty nonchalant about finances - incomes, expenses, taxes etc. but I wonder if it has any connection to your circumstances and responsibilities. If you don't mind sharing, what's your approx age, income and number of kids?

What in the world?