Are You Still Middle Class? (New Fed Data Revealed)

How does your income, net worth, and retirement savings compare to other Americans—and are you still middle class? Brian and Bo break down the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances figures discussed in this episode, covering family income, retirement account balances by age, cash savings, homeownership, and debt. Discover why higher incomes and growing investment accounts can coexist with financial strain, what the middle-income range means, and where comparisons can mislead you. Whether you’re building an emergency fund, paying off credit cards, or investing for retirement, use these numbers for perspective as you work toward your own financial goals.

Timestamps
00:00:06 – Intro: Are You Still Middle Class? New Fed Data
00:17:27 – What Money Lessons Should We Teach Eighth Graders?
00:26:17 – Roth vs. Traditional: What If My Tax Rate Stays the Same?
00:31:41 – What Housing Costs Count Toward the 25% Rule?
00:35:18 – Rapid Fire Begins
00:35:59 – When Should You Switch From Budgeting to Cash Management?
00:36:59 – Why Don’t You Like Gold?
00:38:32 – How Do I Claim Millionaire Mission Preorder Perks?
00:39:13 – Retirement Planning With a 10-Year Spousal Age Gap
00:40:33 – What Financial Order of Operations Mistakes Have You Made?
00:41:21 – When Should Taxable Investing Take Priority Over Retirement Accounts?
00:42:54 – Sell Investments or Borrow to Build a House?
00:43:48 – Are Margin Loans Against Your Brokerage Account a Good Idea?
00:44:26 – SEP IRA vs. Solo 401(k): Which Makes Sense?
00:45:12 – Follow-Up: SEP IRAs, Side Income, and Backdoor Roth Contributions
00:46:09 – Follow-Up: Retirement Planning With a Spousal Age Gap
00:50:38 – Follow-Up: Margin Loan Risks
00:51:26 – Follow-Up: Taxable Investing vs. Retirement Accounts
00:57:35 – How Do I Handle Time Out of the Market During a 401(k) Rollover?

🔗 Net Worth by Age (Compared to Peers) → https://moneyguy.com/resource/net-worth-by-age-compared-to-peers/
🔗 Net Worth Template → https://moneyguy.com/resource/net-worth-template/
🔗 How Much Should You Save? → https://moneyguy.com/resource/how-much-to-save/
🔗 Financial Order of Operations → https://moneyguy.com/resource/financial-order-of-operations/
🔗 Are You on Track to Be a Millionaire? → https://moneyguy.com/resource/are-you-on-track-to-be-a-millionaire/

🎓 Brian Preston (CFP®, CPA) and Bo Hanson (CFA®, CFP®) share professional insights to help you own your financial future.

Jump start your journey with our FREE financial resources: https://moneyguy.com/resources/

Subscribe on YouTube for early access and go beyond the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoneyGuyShow?sub_confirmation=1

Connect with us on social media for more content: https://moneyguy.com/link-in-bio/

Take the relationship to the next level and become a client: https://moneyguy.com/become-a-client/

#WealthBuilding #PersonalFinance2026 #RetirementPlanning #FinancialFreedom