According to the Federal Reserve, the top 10% of US families now hold 68% of the nation's wealth, up from 32% in 1989. This trend, known as the 'K-shaped economy,' shows that the rich are getting richer while the rest fall behind. The disparity has widened, especially in the last three years amid high inflation.
The increase in wealth is not uniform across all income levels. While all Americans have seen some wealth growth, the top 1% have seen a 30% increase in net wealth over the past three years, compared to less than 10% for the middle 40%.
Three main factors contribute to this disparity: housing, the stock market, and inflation. The top 20% own over half of US housing wealth, and the top 1% own a quarter of the nation's financial assets. Inflation disproportionately affects lower-income families, who spend a larger portion of their income on necessities.
