by Michael Snyder, The Economic Collapse Blog:

According to a stunning new survey that was just released, an annual income of at least $186,000 a year is required in order to feel financially secure in the United States today.  Unfortunately, only 6 percent of U.S. adults make that kind of money.  So we have a major problem on our hands.  The cost of living has become extremely painful, and millions of Americans are stressed out of their minds because their finances are such a mess.  Over the past several years we have witnessed an economic shift of epic proportions.  The ultra-wealthy have gotten a lot wealthier, the ranks of the poor have exploded, and the middle class has been absolutely eviscerated.  In this current economic environment, only a very small segment of the population is living comfortably.  The following comes from CBS News…