America’s Richest Households Gained $9.6 Million Under Trump. The Bottom Half Gained $1,200

September 15, 2026

A new analysis by the Center for American Progress reveals a dramatic wealth disparity in America, where the wealthiest 0. 1% of households gained an average of $9. 6 million between late 2024 and early 2026, compared to just $1,200 for the bottom half of households.

Who is affected

The wealthiest 0.1% of American households (gaining $9.6 million average per household)
The top 1% of households (gaining $1.8 million average per household)
Approximately 68 million households in the bottom 50% of Americans (gaining $1,200 average per household)
Households between the 50th and 90th wealth percentiles (carrying $8.8 trillion in aggregate debt)
Households between the 90th and 99th percentiles (carrying $4.1 trillion in debt)
Americans with 401(k) retirement accounts (potentially exposed to additional investment risks)

What action is being taken

The Center for American Progress is conducting analysis using Federal Reserve data to track wealth distribution
The Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress are implementing tax provisions benefiting wealthy business owners
The administration is working on efforts to open ordinary Americans' 401(k) retirement accounts to a broader range of alternative investments
The Federal Reserve is measuring and releasing quarterly data on household wealth distribution through its Distributional Financial Accounts

Why it matters

This wealth disparity matters because it reveals that economic growth and stock market gains are not translating into broadly shared prosperity across American society. The structural differences in asset ownership mean that policies encouraging stock market growth disproportionately benefit those already wealthy, while middle and lower-income families struggle with high debt levels comparable to the Great Recession era. This growing wealth gap makes it increasingly difficult for families in the middle and bottom economic tiers to build lasting financial security, potentially threatening long-term economic stability and social cohesion. The tax code structure amplifies these disparities by favoring households already holding wealth-generating assets.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer