Poorer Than You Think: Money and Wealth in America

"Rich Americans", that's our global reputation. We share that world view and never seem to wonder how are we really doing.  When you look at money and wealth around the world, Americans are poorer than we think.

One of the most useful calculations a person can make when it comes to their personal finances is to figure out their net worth. Simply put, net worth is the value of your assets (what you own) vs. your liabilities (debts). The average net worth of Americans is $301,000 per adult. Our country ranks number 4 in net worth behind Switzerland (#1), Australia (#2), and Norway (#3). Sweden, France, Singapore, Denmark, Canada and United Kingdom fill our the rest of the top ten respectively.

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The Face of the New Unemployed

Every day you hear politicians talking about the unemployment rate. They aren't doing anything about creating jobs, but they constantly talk about the high unemployment rate.

Many people think of the unemployed in terms of stereotypes-lazy, not motivated, irresponsible, unskilled, indifferent...you get the idea. Some think that if someone really wants a job, they could get one. Folks that are working hold their head up and feel just a little bit taller than those without a job. They spend their time shaking their heads about the jobless and remarking about people soaking up unemployment compensation in lieu of getting a job. They wonder why there are large numbers of African Americans without employment.

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