A baseline salary to cover essentials such as rent, groceries and discretionary spending has been calculated for 2026.

According to GOBankingRates , a financial advice website, the average American family should earn a minimum annual salary of $80,000 to $90,000, assuming an inflation rate of 3% to 4%.

However, experts caution that this amount is just a starting point and could fluctuate widely based on individual goals, including debt repayment, retirement savings and home ownership.

Jeffrey Hensel, a broker associate at North Coast Financial, stated that his clients reported struggling to afford essentials amid an inflation rate of 8% to 10%, while making roughly $85,000.

Hensel added that while nominal income has increased, it has lagged behind the rising costs of housing, energy

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