Two children, two incomes, a home with a white picket fence; it’s the quintessential American Dream. However, this American Dream has morphed into a survival regimen that many families simply cannot endure.

Parents are in worse economic shape than ever before. Married couples with children are twice as likely as childless couples to file bankruptcy. According to the authors of the book, “The Two Income Trap,” having a child is the best indicator of whether someone will end up in financial collapse. The book was written by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Tyagi, a mother and daughter team (Harvard law professor and MBA) who did an extensive study on the nature of bankruptcy in America.

The authors maintain that the introduction of mothers into the workforce, rather than easing the financial strain of raising a family, sets their families up for financial disaster as the cost of raising children spirals out of control. More children will go through their parents’ bankruptcy than their parents’ divorce. One in seven middle-class families will file bankruptcy this year. These figures are staggering for middle class families.

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