High income earners in the USA

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percent of high income earners from disadvantaged backgrounds

  • 0% - 24%

  • 25% - 49%

  • 50% - 74%

  • 75% - 100%


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OrdinaryAvgGuy

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Inquiring minds would like to know your opinion on high income earners.

What percent of high income earners in the US came from a disadvantaged background? For the purpose of this discussion we will set the threshold at $250k.

Disadvantaged for the purpose of this poll is defined by 1 or more of the following

Coming from a household below the poverty level

Being raised in a one parent household

Having abusive parents who were drug addicts or alcoholics

Not having funds to pay for college

Not having the things that many of us take for granted. ie proper nutrition, a safe home, ect

Not looking for a political discussion here.

Vote above
 
Is that $250k household or individual?

What constitutes "disadvantaged"?



Also---just putting this out there-- I seriously doubt this thread is going to stay out of the debate forum.
 
I personally know one guy who started from nothing. I mean nothing. Nothing, as in couldn't afford to go back to school to get his stuff much less continue his education. He sold his multimillion dollar company last year.
 
Is that $250k household or individual?

What constitutes "disadvantaged"?



Also---just putting this out there-- I seriously doubt this thread is going to stay out of the debate forum.

I fixed the original post. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
Yeah, there's no way this won't be in the Debate forum tomorrow.

Are you starting a debate about that? Got any data? Is it interpolated?

in-terp-oh-lated, by the way. Because it irks that one guy who wanted it presented that way in the trends.
 
Lets see how long we can keep this dicussion out of the debate forum. Many of us dont have a premium membership and can not participate.

It's easy, just keep politics out of it :rolleyes:
 
I would guess that my boss makes right around that and she was pregnant at 15. She just got her GED a couple years ago.
 
"Not having funds to pay for college" would cover lots of people making over 250K. I'm sure many high wage earners are GI Bill recipients who may not have gone to College otherwise. Many more would have gotten some financial aid or grants to cover their college tuition. Most Dr's are high wage earners, and have or had loans to cover as well. My parents saved and helped a bunch with my college education, and I still walked away with loans. I certainly wouldn't consider myself disadvantaged. Of course I didn't have a $250K airplane and $1K of fuel/month like my neighbor and friend did. So I guess I was at a Disadvantage.

There aren't too many people who could just right a check to cover college tuition
 
I would have bet that this one would have gone down in flames but the AB bash is still going strong.

I am still betting that as people start posting drunk it gets took down soon
 
I would have bet that this one would have gone down in flames but the AB bash is still going strong.

I am still betting that as people start posting drunk it gets took down soon

AB bash still going? I'll have to drop by and maybe add a little fuel to that fire.

I definitely agree. As the even progresses the drunk posting will increase.
 
Is that $250k per annum? Or for a lifetime? If it's for a lifetime, a lot of disadvantaged people would make way more than that if they lived a long time. I would say it's well over 100%.
 
Is that $250k per annum? Or for a lifetime? If it's for a lifetime, a lot of disadvantaged people would make way more than that if they lived a long time. I would say it's well over 100%.

Per year, thanks for asking.
 
I think that it would depend on your geographic location. Meaning that where you live would taint your belief of how successful people are. Most folks do not travel enough to have formed a well rounded number.

I would hesitate to guess but I would think over 25% Maybe even much higher
 
$250k isn't much in some places. It's a fortune in others (like here in Arkansas). I would say about 85%+ of the wealthy come from families with money already. The sad reality for those that do make that kind of money (or at least the potential to do so) without wealthy families is the student loan racket. Just like charging 200%+ interest over the life of a mortgage, the highly unregulated student loan industry can seemingly change the rules even after signing. I'm friends with several doctors and attorneys. For the doctors, they don't see the $ until they're done with residency, etc which can take several years. Then imagine having to pay what amounts to a mortgage to pay for school. I know several attorneys in the same boat. I know one attorney that worked in a large firm in Little Rock and could only afford a small apartment because the loans were so high. So thankful I had an academic full-ride. The libertarian in me says "tough... You made your bed, people." But there's another part of me that thinks (probably what you intended with the original post) that the rest of Americans (the have-nots) need SOME way to "make it" even if they have to sacrifice for years. I'm not wealthy. My wife and I are securely middle-middle-class and we associate through church and friendships with a lot of "the haves" in the upper-middle and upper-classes. I appreciate where I am SO much more. I enjoy working 40 hours, from home, stress-free, being able to spend every night and weekend with my family. My intentions in college were to get a degree in political science then go to law school. I finished the poli-sci, and said the heck with law school. I love my life the way it is. Mo money, mo problems.

I don't ever plan on being "rich" like those $250k/year cats, but my wife and I are 2 years into a 15 year mortgage to save money. The next big deal that we are doing is taking an ACTIVE role in teaching our children. Helps my wife is a math teacher, and I'm a history and science buff. Our plan isn't to start a college fund or to get loans. Build them up for the academic scholarship. Again, we're not rich and never will be, but we have every plan to be financially stable and instill the same mindset in our children so that if they have the talent and choose to do so, they can be "haves".
 
I think that it would depend on your geographic location. Meaning that where you live would taint your belief of how successful people are. Most folks do not travel enough to have formed a well rounded number.

I would hesitate to guess but I would think over 25% Maybe even much higher

Exposure is a huge factor IMO.

For whatever its worth, I agree with your guess.

It seems as if some of the most driven individuals out there start from the bottom and float to the top all because they were told it was impossible to do, given their disadvantaged upbringing.
 
$250k isn't much in some places. It's a fortune in others (like here in Arkansas). I would say about 85%+ of the wealthy come from families with money already. The sad reality for those that do make that kind of money (or at least the potential to do so) without wealthy families is the student loan racket. Just like charging 200%+ interest over the life of a mortgage, the highly unregulated student loan industry can seemingly change the rules even after signing. I'm friends with several doctors and attorneys. For the doctors, they don't see the $ until they're done with residency, etc which can take several years. Then imagine having to pay what amounts to a mortgage to pay for school. I know several attorneys in the same boat. I know one attorney that worked in a large firm in Little Rock and could only afford a small apartment because the loans were so high. So thankful I had an academic full-ride. The libertarian in me says "tough... You made your bed, people." But there's another part of me that thinks (probably what you intended with the original post) that the rest of Americans (the have-nots) need SOME way to "make it" even if they have to sacrifice for years. I'm not wealthy. My wife and I are securely middle-middle-class and we associate through church and friendships with a lot of "the haves" in the upper-middle and upper-classes. I appreciate where I am SO much more. I enjoy working 40 hours, from home, stress-free, being able to spend every night and weekend with my family. My intentions in college were to get a degree in political science then go to law school. I finished the poli-sci, and said the heck with law school. I love my life the way it is. Mo money, mo problems.

I don't ever plan on being "rich" like those $250k/year cats, but my wife and I are 2 years into a 15 year mortgage to save money. The next big deal that we are doing is taking an ACTIVE role in teaching our children. Helps my wife is a math teacher, and I'm a history and science buff. Our plan isn't to start a college fund or to get loans. Build them up for the academic scholarship. Again, we're not rich and never will be, but we have every plan to be financially stable and instill the same mindset in our children so that if they have the talent and choose to do so, they can be "haves".

For most areas in the US $250k would be considered a high income. Other over inflated areas, not so much. Here in NC, an annual salary of $250k would appear to be high to some while others would say that you make a good living.

Keep in mind that the "college education" is not the only way to the top. While I spent 7 years at a university and believe in education, I met a handful of folks with a HS diploma or less earn an income in 250k range.
 
I have researched all sorts of data. what we're looking for is a specific correlation. I have failed to find a pattern. yep, it makes no difference. either that or my Give-a-damner is busted again. bwahahahahhahaa!!!
 
Before this gets kicked to the premium side, I'll say it's not impossible to climb from nothing to being a high income earner. Lots of people do it. That said, it's much easier to come from money to get rich. Mitt Romney for example made his own wealth, but he was able to go to the best schools and have high connections cause his father had money.

That said if you eliminate the athletes and musicians from the nothing to rich list, it's probably not a big list of people who went from nothing to rich.
 
I have researched all sorts of data. what we're looking for is a specific correlation. I have failed to find a pattern. yep, it makes no difference. either that or my Give-a-damner is busted again. bwahahahahhahaa!!!

...and the first drinker of the night has arrived.

Welcome to the discussion Billy!
 
Before this gets kicked to the premium side, I'll say it's not impossible to climb from nothing to being a high income earner. Lots of people do it. That said, it's much easier to come from money to get rich. Mitt Romney for example made his own wealth, but he was able to go to the best schools and have high connections cause his father had money.

That said if you eliminate the athletes and musicians from the nothing to rich list, it's probably not a big list of people who went from nothing to rich.

You said that lots of people do it and then you said that the list of folks is small. What percent do you speculate?
 
some people make it, some don't. IMO, I really don't care either way. my main concern is being a smart-mouth. I'm good at it.:rockin:
 
You said that lots of people do it and then you said that the list of folks is small. What percent do you speculate?

Well, there's a few things, first while 250K income puts you at one of 1.7 million. Of those guys, I'd guess that maybe 20% come from nothing. Maybe. It's really hard to speculate.

Also there's more than income to make money and this is only reported and it's household.
 
I don't ever plan on being "rich" like those $250k/year cats, but my wife and I are 2 years into a 15 year mortgage to save money.

I'm not a particularly smart guy, but I think whether you are "saving money" with a 15 year mortgage depends entirely on what you would otherwise do with that cash flow. i.e. if you had taken the extra money and invested it in something which earns more than the APR on your mortgage, you are actually losing money by paying off the mortgage early.

But, that is probably a topic for some other thread.
 
Well, there's a few things, first while 250K income puts you at one of 1.7 million. Of those guys, I'd guess that maybe 20% come from nothing. Maybe. It's really hard to speculate.

Also there's more than income to make money and this is only reported and it's household.

One in 1.7 million? Where did you come up with that number?
 
OrdinaryAvgGuy, it would be a great change of pace if you posted on brewing for a change, instead of nonsensical semi-political threads that seem to me to be about trolling. Do me a favor and don't start anymore of these.
 
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