<p>According to the Federal Reserve: “…median real family net worth in the 2001−04 period increased 1.5 percent, but mean net worth rose 6.3 percent.” Of course, when the mean rises relative to the median, that means continuing increase in the stratification of wealth.</p>
<p><a href=“http://federalreserve.gov/pubs/bulletin/2006/financesurvey.pdf[/url]”>http://federalreserve.gov/pubs/bulletin/2006/financesurvey.pdf</a></p>
<p>Oh, and the Fed gives the current dollar figure “unadjusted” for inflation, as the ones in the Wolf study were. The median household had a net worth of about $93,000 in current dollars in 2004. That’s the house, the IRA, the savings, the whole enchilada - $93,000. That’s your 50th percentile American family. Half of America is below that; 17% have zero or negative net worth.</p>