One Paycheck Away From Poverty

"This is not a problem of just low-income people -- this is a problem of middle-class people and even people with higher income without enough savings," Wiedrich said. "If they hit a shock, they are in the same boat. Maybe they can't pay their mortgage" or must make choices about what bills to pay. Millions of middle-class Americans are just one missed paycheck away from poverty, with 4 of 10 considered "liquid-asset poor," or without enough money socked away to cope with even a sudden disruption in income.