6 Reasons the Poor Stay Poor and the Middle Class Doesn’t Become Wealthy
Laura Bogart
5 min read
Ivanko_Brnjakovic / Getty Images
When every paycheck that comes in seems to immediately go toward bills and other expenses, leaving little to nothing leftover, it’s easy to feel frustrated. You work hard. You try to save. You even forgo small pleasures sometimes to make sure you have a little money in the bank. And yet, it feels like you’ll never quite transcend your current financial situation.
You aren’t alone in this feeling. Many Americans feel as though they can’t rise out of poverty or move out of the middle class into the ranks of the wealthy. While there’s a lot of rhetoric about people pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, the reality is that sometimes the circumstances conspire against you.
As the founder of The Money Mindset Hub, Alejandra Rojas is very familiar with old notions and unfortunate stereotypes that can limit people’s ability to achieve their financial goals. One of the most prevalent, yet wrong-headed ideas, is that everyone has access to banking and financial services. This attitude doesn’t reckon with the very real social and economic barriers that prevent people from engaging with these services.
“A lot of individuals in poverty might not even have the resources or time to open a bank account — the barrier in identity verification, for instance, is a real issue — and that’s where these gaps in the financial system start,” she said.
“The lack of access to simple financial tools translates into a lack of education, keeping people out of the loop when it comes to growing wealth or even understanding how to get out of their financial circumstances.”
Money can be a source of deep emotions for a lot of people. Whether someone is in poverty or stuck in the middle class, Rojas said they are potentially grappling with cultural and familial narratives about money that can’t simply be fixed with a quick financial strategy.
“It’s far more difficult to break out of that subconscious adaptation to what’s familiar than it is to simply educate someone on financial literacy,” she said. “When someone tries to step out of what they know, there’s often a lot of shame and guilt attached.”
Transcending these traumas and old attitudes often means leaving behind the familiar, which can spark a shame and sense of guilt that can be difficult to overcome. Making these changes can emotionally take someone away from their circle of friends and family, while also compelling them to unpeel layers of social and cultural dynamics.
“When someone is making that leap, they’re not only changing their relationship with money; they’re changing how they interact with their family and community,” Rojas said. “All of these elements — shame, guilt, social expectations — act as barriers that we often don’t take into account when we talk about financial education.”
Systemic Issues
When talking about wealth and mobility, it’s important to recognize that not everyone is starting on a level playing field. Systemic gaps in access to everything from education to job opportunities, housing and financial services can prevent people from advancing economically.
“These barriers are not just personal or financial but deeply woven into the very fabric of society,” Rojas explained. “Systemic racism and discrimination in education, employment, housing and even financial services create unequal opportunities from the start.”
She said black and brown communities can often face biases — both the silent and not-so-silent kinds — that impact everything from their wages to the interest rates they’re offered.
“This creates a significant disadvantage that compounds over time, making it more difficult to build wealth or even attain basic financial stability,” she said.
Wealth Gaps
Part of the systemic issues that can keep some people in poverty or prevent them from moving up in the middle class involves gaps in familial wealth. Simply put, it’s easier to reach home plate quickly if you were born on third base.
For Scott Dylan, founder of NexaTech Ventures, one of the most overlooked factors in the wealth gap is family wealth and privilege.
“Wealth often begets wealth — those born into affluent families have access to networks, capital and safety nets that allow them to take risks and make investments that others simply cannot afford,” he said. “In contrast, those in lower-income brackets often face financial instability, limiting their ability to take risks or invest in their future.”
Stagnant Wages and Rising Costs
Even if you can access the education or opportunities you need to get a decent start on your financial journey, other factors entirely outside your control can keep you from reaching the next point. Dylan pointed to the global stagnation of wage growth as a major culprit; the cost of living, especially housing, has continued to skyrocket.
“This imbalance makes it nearly impossible for many to save or invest,” he said. “Even middle-class individuals often find themselves struggling with rising childcare, healthcare and housing costs, preventing them from building wealth.”
He added, “This isn’t a personal failing; it’s a reflection of broader economic trends.”
Lack of Access to Capital
Dylan is passionate about helping support businesses in distressed sectors and giving people a second chance in terms of building themselves up financially. He said access to capital is another enormous barrier in terms of economic growth.
“Without collateral or strong credit, many individuals cannot secure loans to start businesses or invest in property, which are key pathways to wealth,” he said. “Those already at a disadvantage often find themselves excluded from these opportunities, perpetuating the cycle of economic immobility.”
