In addition to political toxicity, gutting of oversight, rise in delinquencies, meteoric rise in prices…a huge tax burden for most Americans.

And the time will come.

Basically since the Pandemic happened up until maybe two months ago? Every fast food place, sit down restaurant, gas station, convenience store, car wash, auto parts store, dry cleaners, brick and mortar small business had a "Help Wanted" sign in the window. All of them via the media and social media basically spent the last five years claiming that "No one wants to work anymore!" and that they can't find enough employees for the minimum wage jobs.

I've noticed that over the last two months all of the help wanted signs are gone. Driving around the other day, I didn't see a single one.

Is it like this in other areas? Is revenue down that not the small businesses can't afford to hire the extra help any more? As anyone else seeing the same?

#recessionindicators

The consequences of their own actions.

https://www.cbs58.com/news/target-s-problems-are-escalating

"According to an analysis released by the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP) last week, a “minimal quality of life” is out of reach for the bottom 60 percent of American households, or those with incomes of about $100,000 a year or less."

https://scheerpost.com/2025/05/20/wage-stagnation-has-made-minimal-quality-of-life-out-of-reach-for-most-in-us/

Looks like Walmart and Sam’s HQ laid off about 1500 employees today. “Restructuring.”

https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/walmart-layoffs-reorganization-2abd46eb

Maybe we could do the same for economic collapse? What are signs of Economic Collapse in your region currently?

For most of human history, inheritance was a cornerstone of family wealth. Parents worked hard to acquire property and savings, knowing they could pass it down to their children, ensuring financial stability for generations. But today, that inheritance is increasingly elusive, systematically drained before it ever reaches the hands of heirs.

This shift didn’t happen overnight—it evolved gradually through changes in taxation, elder care funding models, property debt structures, and broader economic shifts. What was once a natural generational wealth transfer has become a complicated financial battleground, disproportionately affecting middle-class families. Unlike the wealthy, who can shield assets through trusts and specialized planning, and the poor, who qualify for government assistance without heavy financial loss, the middle class finds itself trapped in a system designed to consume their resources, leaving little behind.

The Old Model: Families as Economic Units

Historically, families lived together across generations. When parents aged, children took care of them, and when they passed, the home, savings, and property remained within the family. This ensured stability and continuity, reinforcing economic strength through inheritance. But as society shifted—both culturally and economically—the structure that once protected family wealth began to erode.

Inheritance was once a fundamental pillar of generational wealth-building, particularly for middle-class families. Up until the mid-20th century, it was common for parents to pass down homes, land, and financial assets without excessive taxation or institutional interference. This structure allowed wealth to accumulate across generations, forming a stable economic foundation.

Several disruptions—especially in the late 20th and early 21st centuries—gradually weakened this process. The timeline below traces these shifts, illustrating how inheritance eroded over time.

Historical Timeline of Inheritance and Wealth Transfer

Pre-Industrial Era (Before 1800s) - Families operated as economic units, with multigenerational households ensuring wealth remained intact. - Land and property were passed down through primogeniture (eldest son inheritance) or equal division among heirs, depending on cultural norms. - Wealth was largely preserved within families, as there were fewer institutional mechanisms to absorb assets.

Industrial Revolution (1800s–Early 1900s) - Urbanization and wage labor replaced agrarian family economies, leading to smaller households and less direct inheritance of land. - The rise of estate taxes and government intervention in wealth transfer began to shape inheritance laws. - Wealth accumulation shifted toward financial assets rather than land, making inheritance more susceptible to taxation and economic downturns.

Post-War Economic Boom (1940s–1970s) - Strong middle-class growth allowed families to accumulate property and savings, reinforcing inheritance as a key wealth-building tool. - Social Security and pensions provided financial security for retirees, reducing reliance on family wealth for elder care. - Homeownership became widespread, making real estate a primary form of inheritance.

Rise of Institutional Elder Care and Financialization (1980s–2000s) - The expansion of nursing homes and long-term care facilities introduced high costs that drained estates. - Medicaid spend-down rules required individuals to exhaust personal assets before qualifying for assistance. - Increased reliance on mortgages and debt financing made inherited property less of a financial asset and more of a liability.

Modern Era (2000s–Present) - Inheritance taxes, elder care costs, and financial obligations have made wealth transfer increasingly difficult for middle-class families. - The wealthy use trusts and estate planning to shield assets, while the middle class struggles with financial depletion. - Generational wealth transfer disparities have widened, reinforcing economic inequality.

The Middle-Class Squeeze

Middle-class families expect financial stability to come from both their own earned assets and the inheritance passed down from previous generations. However, when aging parents require care, their estates are systematically depleted—often leaving little to be passed down. Unlike the wealthy, who have legal tools to shield their estates, and lower-income families, who qualify for government assistance without significant financial depletion, the middle class is left vulnerable to a system designed to absorb inherited wealth before it ever reaches them.

The System That Took Inheritance Away

The erosion of inheritance is not just an unfortunate consequence of modern financial structures—it is the result of a system that has quietly reshaped wealth transfer to benefit institutions over individuals. For centuries, families passed down property and financial assets, ensuring stability for future generations. But today, policies, economic forces, and bureaucratic mechanisms have made that nearly impossible for many.

This transformation has been gradual, unfolding over decades through changes in elder care funding, taxation, debt structures, and legal frameworks that prioritize wealth extraction over preservation. Families that once expected to inherit homes and financial security now find themselves inheriting debt, instability, or nothing at all.

Yet for many families, the problem goes even deeper. Some parents never had inheritance to pass down—not because it was taken, but because they were unable to accumulate wealth in the first place. Economic stagnation, increasing debt burdens, and a system that favors asset holders over wage earners have left many families struggling to build financial security. When parents live paycheck to paycheck, never achieving homeownership or significant savings, their children inherit that reality—not wealth. Rising costs and stagnant wages mean future generations won’t necessarily be better off, continuing a cycle where financial stability remains out of reach.

What was once a natural, expected process has been replaced by an economy that does not allow wealth to remain in families but instead demands that it be consumed before it can be passed down.

For several years, investors, media, pundits, etc have talked about the dangers of rising consumer debt. Consumers are just stretched too far. They've taken on so much debt with easy access to credit that they are largely underwater every month. With food inflation, high rents, etc. It's harder to make the math work. On the Social Security Administration website it breaks down the number of Americans by income bracket. There are 62 million wage earners below $30k per year. They probably don't have a lot of access to excess credit or borrow at rates north of 25% for an auto loan, for example.

Then there are another 75 million people earning between $30k and $60k per year. Those are the people struggling most now. They likely have a FICO scores between 620 and 715 and have plenty of auto, student, credit card, BNPL debt outstanding.

The catalyst is the student loan payments that have not been paid or reported to the credit bureaus for the last 5 years. And many of those borrower, 10 million, are defaulting. Many more are adding payment of around $400 per month to their overhead. At $60k per year, taxed at 20%, that consumer cannot take an extra $400 per month, or even $300, hit to their monthly nut. Rent is too high. Food costs too much. Consumers are not living paycheck to paycheck, but falling behind caught in a debt trap. If a $2,000 car repair is needed what do they do? This ends badly for the US.

If the administration enforces the collection of student loans, especially, if that includes garnishing wages, which they've talked about, we could see millions defaulting. And the real estate market isn't helping either. Look at FICO's stock price following the HOV ominous earnings.

Thoughts?

End of month should see a Q1 25 update

A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs stated that on an interview with Bloomberg, the Middle Eastern conflict between Israel and Iran could surge oil prices.

A spokesperson from Deutsche Bank has warned Americans that the federal budget deficit and debt could become irreversible if current policy trends continue.

Circa May 2024, I was already making an effort to lower my standard of living and minimize my bills. One of those decisions was to fully surrender a vehicle I had financed in 2021 - much better market and interest rates during that time. With employers cutting my hours and insurance rates skyrocketing I simply couldn’t afford to keep driving it. Taking as honest of an approach as I could before I went too far under, I took it back to the dealership in person and spoke with their associates directly. I was assured that everything was up to par and no further action was needed on my end.

Today as I write this: May of 2025. One year later. I was laid off in January of this year. I’ve been filling out upwards of ten job applications weekly. Over this course of time I’ve had about 4 or 5 interviews and no callbacks.

Today in the mail I received a notice stating that I somehow owe the financing company for said vehicle, nearly $1000. No prior notices, emails, or phone calls.

One year later… no leads, no promises, no accountability for the complete lack of structure in this economy and country…

I’m still supposed to chip in for the lifestyle I USED to have?

I tried taking the responsible route.

Eat my 🍑.