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Martin Eden

(12,802 posts)
60. My salary is exactly twice that, but slightly less than 1/4 of $250k
Mon Dec 31, 2012, 02:38 PM
Dec 2012

I can afford to pay more taxes, and would not oppose lowering the $250k threshold to include my bracket.

My wife and I live in DuPage County Illinois (middle class suburbs west of Chicago). Cost of living & propery taxes here are not cheap, but certainly less than NYC. We're better off than most at our income because we owe nothing on our house or cars and our daughter is finished with college ... but a family living here with a mortgage & car payments & one or more kids in college would have to live frugally to get by on our combined income (together, just under 6 figures).

I feel very fortunate that we can travel on vacations (including my senior softball tournaments out of state) and can afford to buy high quality backpacking gear to indulge my other recreational pursuit. My wife is a wizard with coupons and manages our finances very well.

You and me both loyalkydem Dec 2012 #1
I could live in luxury for 2500 a month. Voice for Peace Dec 2012 #17
Where do you live where $2,500 a month is luxury? Victor_c3 Dec 2012 #32
It depends on your personal definition of luxury. SheilaT Dec 2012 #37
true and very good point Victor_c3 Dec 2012 #47
Damn,...I was hoping you would get angry so you would be a Mad Scientist. Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2012 #53
I think the above poster answered the question you posed Voice for Peace Dec 2012 #61
Grossing $5K per month ROBROX Dec 2012 #58
I love on the north shore of LI RedCappedBandit Dec 2012 #67
$2,500 per month would get a small apartment in Boston. bluestate10 Dec 2012 #72
Not in my neighborhood. In_The_Wind Dec 2012 #38
You must be in a different neighborhood than I do. RoccoR5955 Dec 2012 #41
Howdy neighbor. In_The_Wind Dec 2012 #45
I live in Beacon Victor_c3 Dec 2012 #68
I know what you mean. RoccoR5955 Dec 2012 #69
Thanks for the heads up Victor_c3 Jan 2013 #84
My salary is exactly twice that, but slightly less than 1/4 of $250k Martin Eden Dec 2012 #60
how about ponying up some bucks for DU? Skittles Jan 2013 #81
$30,000 a year?? you can make more than that at McDonalds !! crazyjoe Jan 2013 #92
Count me in as well billbailey19448jj Jan 2013 #95
Yeah, but don't you understand? These people are STRUGGLING! LAGC Dec 2012 #2
The tax is on the net income not gross income. julian09 Dec 2012 #8
I know, I was being facetious. LAGC Dec 2012 #11
You didn't, but around here, it's safer. russspeakeasy Dec 2012 #24
You forgot to mention the upkeep on a car elevator Kennah Jan 2013 #83
Yeah, and it's a MARGINAL tax rate Doctor_J Dec 2012 #13
I thought the point was to raise taxes on millionairs? crazyjoe Dec 2012 #3
$250k over four years is $1m. geckosfeet Dec 2012 #4
I'm politically on your side, but want to point out a math issue. The national coalition_unwilling Dec 2012 #7
Yes. I didn't bother to do the multiplication. geckosfeet Dec 2012 #16
"Median household income" doesn't mean anything in an era of two-income households duffyduff Dec 2012 #23
what the F are you talking about? who said anything about pissing through 250k a year? crazyjoe Dec 2012 #64
Well you see. $250k a year is wealthy. That's wtf I am talking about. geckosfeet Dec 2012 #65
Farcical Morganfleeman Dec 2012 #66
I find it hard to drum up sympathy for you. Cry on someone elses shoulder. geckosfeet Dec 2012 #71
I don't think Morgan asked for, or wants your sympathy. crazyjoe Jan 2013 #91
Well that makes two of you. geckosfeet Jan 2013 #93
Maybe you could rent to get away from those property taxes. I have a nice two bedroom with washer Ed Suspicious Jan 2013 #77
Heh Lurker Deluxe Jan 2013 #94
Well, the top 2% includes millionaires CJCRANE Dec 2012 #18
It is NOT easy being a job creator, juggling the maid, gardener, pool boy, manicurist, driver, and Coyotl Dec 2012 #5
Congress gets a pay raise goclark Dec 2012 #6
That is for working 120 days a year out of 365. julian09 Dec 2012 #10
And they don't even work much on those 120 days! CrispyQ Dec 2012 #21
Hey, all those appearances on Press the Meat and Faux News count as work too! BuelahWitch Dec 2012 #43
Keeping those car elevators running requires some real Dough-re-mi! - n/t coalition_unwilling Dec 2012 #9
car elevator repair man, neighborhood gate guard, 35 lawyers Doctor_J Dec 2012 #20
typical middle class family kentuck Dec 2012 #12
Only 1.2Million people in America make that much or higher. JaneyVee Dec 2012 #14
It's amazing how few people control the conversation. They are a true minority of privilege. The Wielding Truth Dec 2012 #46
But if you live (in a mansion!) on the Coasts, that money doesn't go too far... Romulox Dec 2012 #15
Steve Israel just on MSNBC smirking about 450 grand a year not being much money flamingdem Dec 2012 #19
$400,000 is a complete retirement if you are one of the lucky few! Coyotl Dec 2012 #22
= $1,111 per day SHRED Dec 2012 #25
$1532 a day for a 5 day work week. eom Purveyor Dec 2012 #29
goodpoint SHRED Dec 2012 #34
wait a minute SHRED Dec 2012 #35
I used the 104 'weekend days' for the calendar year. The varying calendar days per month skews Purveyor Dec 2012 #40
thanks got it SHRED Dec 2012 #42
Unfortunate truth. kentuck Dec 2012 #26
true ewagner Dec 2012 #27
+1 SmileyRose Jan 2013 #80
Its HARD when you only make $400,000 year. liberal N proud Dec 2012 #28
More in a month than *most* make in a year. KitSileya Jan 2013 #85
I keep hearing how people in NYC and other metropolitan areas need that kind of income Skidmore Dec 2012 #30
You're completely correct, and anyone who makes that claim is full of malarkey Orrex Dec 2012 #44
How do they get by? I know it would require some serious belt tightening, but A Simple Game Dec 2012 #59
You mean you don't HAVE to live on the Upper West Side? TexasBushwhacker Dec 2012 #63
lmao! Ed Suspicious Jan 2013 #78
it's BS. the people who are struggling on that much are ones who live beyond their means JI7 Jan 2013 #86
To me it is amazing that dotymed Dec 2012 #31
I'm with you, dotymed. JDPriestly Dec 2012 #57
Or that is over $192 per hour if you work a 40 hour week. Curmudgeoness Dec 2012 #33
Very good point, the hourly wage. SheilaT Dec 2012 #39
Yes. Usually mixing with clients or suppliers is a big part of the "work" of those earning JDPriestly Dec 2012 #50
LOL, that reminds me of a review I had once Curmudgeoness Dec 2012 #54
Or approximately $32,233 more than the average social security recipient... n/t Earth_First Dec 2012 #36
And also give the median income. Because even $250,000 is very high compared to the median income. Mass Dec 2012 #48
Yes. JDPriestly Dec 2012 #49
You're right. More than a lot of folks make in a year..... joanbarnes Dec 2012 #51
I'd be jumping with joy if I made half that! nt MADem Dec 2012 #52
Tom Brokaw On MTP Yesterday Said DallasNE Dec 2012 #55
Tom Brokaw is an ass...he is dying to stand up on top of a building and scream his lungs out that srican69 Dec 2012 #62
You can "struggle" on any income if you choose to live beyond your means TexasBushwhacker Dec 2012 #70
The tax increase was going to be something like $1500 for a couple making $350k a year high density Dec 2012 #74
Well, it's more than that TexasBushwhacker Jan 2013 #75
A lot of doctors and other professionals who actually work make that much. Go after capital gains Exultant Democracy Dec 2012 #56
I agree, the ridiculously cheap capital gains tax is the biggest headscratcher high density Dec 2012 #73
That is what we live on for a year. appleannie1 Jan 2013 #76
Yes, and they'll all shriek poverty on that Warpy Jan 2013 #79
I've looked at the median household incomes (NOT personal incomes) of wealthy areas AZ Progressive Jan 2013 #82
again the majority of wealthy made out like bandits at the expense of the poor and middle class. bowens43 Jan 2013 #87
Or put even more clearly: DeSwiss Jan 2013 #88
Aren't the American People goclark Jan 2013 #89
In theory..... DeSwiss Jan 2013 #90
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