Question about "decent living" and "middle class" in America?

Question

I read a passage, and there is a sentence as below:

Carlos Ferlini made a decent living installing and repairing gutters( at Burbank Calif), but not nough to afford health insurance.

Question 1.

What is a decent living? I check the dictionary, one meaning is porper, socially acceptable and in Urban Dictionary some people say "decent" is very good, and some people say "dicent" is not good and not bad. So I want to know what is a decent living.

Question 2.

How much do people earn if they have a job like installing and repairing gutters at Calif approximately?

Question 3

What is the earning range for middle class in U.S. now? I checked some reference books, they said between 25,000 to 75,000. Is this correct?

Question 4.
If people have a decent living is U.S. Buy why can't afford health insurance. (In the passage I read, it only tells me people can't afford, but doesn't tell me why) Or, simply, could you tell me how much should pay for health insurance every year?

Thanks a lot for your reply.

Oh, realy so many questions from a "decent living", maybe take a little bit more time for your answers.

So, thanks form the bottom of my heart.

Ron In Ohio · Accepted Answer

Frank,

I have no idea how much someone would earn at this job in California. That being said, I can answer other parts of your question.

To earn a decent living usually means neither good nor bad. The person earns enough to afford the basic necessities, but he or she would hardly be considered rich.

Affording health insurance: This is one of the major problems in the US today. Medical costs are skyrocketing. To help cover the costs, employers are forcing employees to pay extra to cover their dependents. In my case, nearly $125 per week is taken out to cover my wife and daughter on my health insurance. I make a good hourly wage, but this coverage for my family cost me $6,000 last year. That's not counting the 20% of most medical bills that I always have to pay.

Those who are self-employed often have difficulty as well.

BarbaraPA · Answer

To add to Ron's comments, it's an odd concept for people from other countries where health care is provided by the government, but in the U.S., the primary source of health insurance is our employers. Most workers pay a portion of it, and their portion can be a little or a lot, depending on what the employer offers as a benefit.

But people who are self-employed (like the person who installs the gutters) would not have an employer, so he must purchase health insurance on his own. And while large companies can negotiate a better price for health insurance, people on their own have no "bargaining power," so they have to take whatever price they are offered. For many people, this is just too much money each month, and so they forego health insurance and figure they'll just pay the doctor if they do get sick.

Frank.q · Answer

Ron In Ohio
Frank,

I have no idea how much someone would earn at this job in California. That being said, I can answer other parts of your question.

To earn a decent living usually means neither good nor bad. The person earns enough to afford the basic necessities, but he or she would hardly be considered rich.

Affording health insurance: This is one of the major problems in the US today. Medical costs are skyrocketing. To help cover the costs, employers are forcing employees to pay extra to cover their dependents. In my case, nearly $125 per week is taken out to cover my wife and daughter on my health insurance. I make a good hourly wage, but this coverage for my family cost me $6,000 last year. That's not counting the 20% of most medical bills that I always have to pay.

Those who are self-employed often have difficulty as well.

Thanks a lot.

Oh , I got it, decent living = neither good nor bad

$6000 is really a large amount for common people, even one half of a new 2006 Ford Focus.

So, everyday an apple, keep doctors away.

Frank.q · Answer

Grammar GeekTo add to Ron's comments, it's an odd concept for people from other countries where health care is provided by the government, but in the U.S., the primary source of health insurance is our employers. Most workers pay a portion of it, and their portion can be a little or a lot, depending on what the employer offers as a benefit.

But people who are self-employed (like the person who installs the gutters) would not have an employer, so he must purchase health insurance on his own. And while large companies can negotiate a better price for health insurance, people on their own have no "bargaining power," so they have to take whatever price they are offered. For many people, this is just too much money each month, and so they forego health insurance and figure they'll just pay the doctor if they do get sick.

Oh, yeah, i think most people do not like the selp-employed job. Most people want to find a job in a big company. Great trees are good for nothing but shade.

Question about "decent living" and "middle class" in America?

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions