Struggling to stay afloat as a middle-income earner in the U.S.? You’re not alone. Pew research reports (1) that the incomes of middle-class households have not risen as quickly as the incomes of upper-income households over the past several decades, widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Its latest data (2) shows that only 51% of Americans were considered middle class as of 2023, down from 61% in 1971. Ayesha is one middle-income earner who is struggling. She’s in her 30s and lives fair ...