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Wednesday, 3 December 2025

Is $140,000 the new poverty line?

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Plus: Will tax law surge inflation in 2026? ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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The Daily Money

ALL THE MONEY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Wed Dec 3 2025

 

Betty Lin-Fisher Consumer reporter

@blinfisher

Good morning. This is Betty Lin-Fisher with today's edition of The Daily Money.

A viral blog post by a Wall Street portfolio manager is suggesting that the new poverty line for a family of four in America is $140,000 a year, reports Daniel de Visé.

The Federal Poverty Level set by the Department of Health and Human Services for a family of four is $32,150. The median household income in 2024 was $83,730.

Syndication The Columbus Dispatch

Parents pick out toys and food, during the Salvation Army's Christmas Cheer Event, Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024, in Columbus, OH.

Courtney Hergesheimer/Columbus Dispatch, Courtney Hergesheimer/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Is an inflation surge coming?

Many economists and strategists believe President Donald Trump 's massive tax law, which was passed in July, may reignite inflation next year, reports Andrea Riquier.

Because the law makes tax changes retroactive through 2025, some analysts are expecting what JP Morgan Asset Management is calling a "refund surge." Too much money may have been withheld from taxpayers, which means refunds in 2026 may surge.

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Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which breaks down complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.

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A popular blogger says the real poverty line for a family of four is around $140,000. There has been pushback.

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Planning a trip to a Christmas market this year but can't decide which one? Here are some suggestions from USA TODAY 10Best's list of 2023 looking at holiday markets worth visiting across the U.S. The list was created by asking a panel of experts to nominate their top picks for holiday markets throughout the U.S., then readers voted for their favorites to determine the winners. Voting for 2024 is open at 10best.usatoday.com and closes on Monday, December 2 at noon ET. The top 10   winning markets will be announced on Friday, December 6.
 

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Before you cast your vote for your favorite Christmas market of 2024, check out the top picks from USA TODAY 10Best's 2023 Readers' Choice Awards.

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