General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Even Robert Reich is Disappointing Me [View all]ITAL
(1,382 posts)It is partly because for some of these people, their wealth is more tied into what they may own rather than cash on hand.
It's sort of like my brother and his wife. She comes from a wealthy family (not billions mind you, but they were all doctors going back a couple of generations and invested early in some big pet food company where they really made money), but my sister-in-law teaches engineering at a University so her salary isn't earth shattering. Practically all of her money is tied up in stocks. On a day to day basis they don't really that much more money than my wife and I do (they take the occasional expensive European vacation, but otherwise nothing would out then as having a lot of cash). BUT, her wealth is growing all the time because it's tied up in whatever her stock broker has them invested in.
I feel like that is the case with at least some wealthy people.