What happened to American optimism?

[Boardwalk Jedi]

Oh please, I shouldn't even dignify that with a response. My family has been in this county - in farm country - for nearly 200 years. There are 4 such farms still in existence within 5 miles of where I sit right this minute, and countless others that have broken up.

And they each brought in over $5 million? I don't think so. If they did, they'd fall into the catergorie of rich (yet subsidized) farms.

 

[Colleen27]

And they each brought in over $5 million? I don't think so. If they did, they'd fall into the catergorie of rich (yet subsidized) farms.

And actually the relevant number would be 11 mil for family farms, assuming most family farms are jointly owned by the farmer and his spouse. That's how much a married couple can leave to heirs tax-free.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

And they each brought in over $5 million? I don't think so. If they did, they'd fall into the catergorie of rich (yet subsidized) farms.

I have no idea what the revenue is. I only know the size of the farms & the price of land around here.

Edit: and “rich” or not, they’re still family farms.

 

[GreatLakes]

I can say our family is extremely optimistic and it has nothing to do with who happens to be in the White House or congress. We control our own happiness, not some distant third party in the capital.

Over the past 18 months both my wife and I made extremely positive career moves including my moving to C-level and we had a healthy child. Life is good and only getting better.

 

[Colleen27]

I can say our family is extremely optimistic and it has nothing to do with who happens to be in the White House or congress. We control our own happiness, not some distant third party in the capital.

Over the past 18 months both my wife and I made extremely positive career moves including my moving to C-level and we had a healthy child. Life is good and only getting better.

I think that's pretty easy to say at C-level. Harder when you're just getting by and facing a tax hike or loss of the program that keeps your family insured.

 

[CPT Trips]

Gumbo, your claims are not accurate. Reality is that in 2013, only 20 "family farm" estates total, nationwide.owed any estate tax and none of them were sold to pay the tax. And it's estimated that in future years less than 2% of such estates will need to even file a tax return with something like 0.4% owing any tax.

 

[powellrj]

When we first moved to this area, there were lots of good paying factory jobs that had great benefits. Now all of those jobs are gone. They took all the retail with them and left fast food. I keep hearing we need to shop local, only problem is there is no place left to shop. On our local Facebook page, whenever a new business is going into one of the empty buildings, the first question is always is it going to be a c-store, Pawn shop, low cost cigarette or tattoo parlor. It’s always one of those and not a true retail store.

That will sap the optimism out of you very quickly. All the empty buildings are really depressing. People will come back for reunions and ask what happened. What can you say.

 

[rickybobby]

I think a lot of folks liked their 401's in 2008. Then 2009 happened. It is hard to have much faith in anything related to Wall Street sometimes.

This harkens back to the theme of the thread here.
If someone came up to you and said "What a beautiful day", would you respond with "Yeah, but it rained yesterday"?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Gumbo, your claims are not accurate. Reality is that in 2013, only 20 "family farm" estates total, nationwide.owed any estate tax and none of them were sold to pay the tax. And it's estimated that in future years less than 2% of such estates will need to even file a tax return with something like 0.4% owing any tax.

By 2013, how many were already gone?

 

[cruiser21]

I think a lot of folks liked their 401's in 2008. Then 2009 happened. It is hard to have much faith in anything related to Wall Street sometimes.

Agreed. We got completely wiped out in 2008 . I have little faith in this inflated market. That being said I am a lot more optimistic about the future today then I was back then. Every other house on my street is not in foreclosure and people are working and prospering in my state.

 

[CPT Trips]

I can't answer your pessimistic half empty question. More importantly, there are over two million remaining at last count in 2016.