It is a historical fact that American workers make less (after inflation and taxes) now than they did fifteen years ago.  This article in the New York Times by David Leonhardt discusses the reasons and what to expect in the near future:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/upshot/the-great-wage-slowdown-of-the-21st-century.html?_r=0

My own feelings are that until small businesses are profitable enough to need that extra professional employee or two at a higher salary because talent is scarce and additional manpower is needed this wage stagnation will continue.  Raising the minimum wage probably will not help since it will just be passed through to consumers or eaten by the business, which will mean they won’t hire that extra employee. 

  For financial,  accounting and tax musings,