Trillions

Can ETFs Keep the American Dream Alive?

In this episode of Trillions, Nick Maggiulli explains his “wealth ladder” concept and how you can climb its rungs.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

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The “American dream” has always been about money: financial progression and building wealth. But for many the concept is slipping further and further away as the country’s yawning wealth gap widens. So the question is: can you still climb the proverbial wealth ladder, or is the dream dead? And if there is still room to rise, how important is salary versus investments? How can exchange-traded funds help?