middle class

Here's a higher education shocker: Thanks to tuition hikes at California's state universities on one hand, and Ivy League financial aid policies on the other, attending Harvard is actually the better deal for the Golden State's middle-class students. And that's not just a West Coast phenomenon.

Amid all the chatter about Mitt Romney's high income and low taxes, many have wondered why more Americans don't take advantage of those attractive capital gains rates. The answer is that most people can't -- at least not on a level large enough to make a difference in their finances.

In tonight's State of the Union, President Obama faces a tough crowd: Millions of Americans unsure about whether he should keep his job. He'll be aiming to win hearts and minds, and at least part of that will be an appeal to our wallets. With that in mind, here are three key points that he is likely to hammer home tonight:

Do you think that the biggest conflict in America today is between the rich and the poor? If so, join the club: According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, 66% of Americans believe the wealth gap is the greatest cause of tension in this country.

You'd think that fast-food restaurants -- with their emphasis on value -- would appeal primarily to those at the lower end of the income scale. But according to a new national study, dining at McDonald's and its quick-serving competitors becomes more common as people make more money.

Election season is coming, and politicians across the spectrum are already hunting for campaigns contributions. But with the vast majority of political donations coming from lobbies, corporations, and the wealthy, does it make sense for average taxpayers to contribute?

The wealthiest Americans saw their income nearly triple in the three decades to 2007, substantially more than all other segments of the population, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday.

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain unveiled several major changes to his popular 9-9-9 tax plan on Friday. The former Godfather's Pizza CEO even announced that those below the poverty line would pay no income taxes. But the middle class won't find much relief in Cain's fleshed-out plan.

On Thursday, GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann may have inadvertently made one of the boldest moves of the 2012 primary campaign. Speaking on Fox News, the Minnesota congresswoman stated that she wants to adopt Ronald Reagan's tax plan, a rate structure that's much higher than current tax rates.

Every parent wants more for their child than they had for themselves. Ideally, each generation should move forward. But it's not a given in America. A middle class upbringing does not guarantee the same status over the course of a lifetime, finds a new study.