This article focuses on the "missing class," the near poor whose incomes place them above the poverty line, but well below the middle class. Near-poor families with two parents and two children subsist on $20,000 to $40,000 a year, which disqualifies them for virtually all public subsidies, but is a far cry from what they need to be self-sufficient. As a society, we do not count this missing class. While we keep an eye trained on the number of people who fall below the poverty line, we do not gauge our success or failure by asking how many near-poor households we have. In academe, too, the missing class is somewhat of an afterthought. Researchers working on the problem of the uninsured have included the near poor in their studies because so many Americans who lack coverage fall in this group. Otherwise, little is known about them. Here, the author share insights on the needs of the near poor gained during research for their book, suggesting policies aimed at helping them succeed.