High Earners - What's Your Profession?

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Tingting1013
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Tingting1013 »

oldfort wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:39 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
The median earnings of a full time worker over 25 with a college degree is $73632.
*2 = $147k
oldfort
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by oldfort »

Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:41 pm
oldfort wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:39 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
The median earnings of a full time worker over 25 with a college degree is $73632.
*2 = $147k
Assuming you have two full time workers who are married to each other. There's a lot of single/divorced households or households where one parent either stays at home or works part time.
stoptothink
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by stoptothink »

Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
And that is relevant because?
Tingting1013
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Tingting1013 »

stoptothink wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:34 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
And that is relevant because?
I don’t compare how I am doing against the homeless guy hanging out on my corner.
stoptothink
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by stoptothink »

Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:40 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:34 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
And that is relevant because?
I don’t compare how I am doing against the homeless guy hanging out on my corner.
So, should everybody who does not have a college degree who posted in this thread (I am sure there are a few) just not bother? Geez, the elitism (and I have a PhD and make a decent living, but my brother who does not have a high school diploma makes more than I do).
water2357
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by water2357 »

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TheNightsToCome
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by TheNightsToCome »

stoptothink wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:48 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:40 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:34 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
And that is relevant because?
I don’t compare how I am doing against the homeless guy hanging out on my corner.
So, should everybody who does not have a college degree who posted in this thread (I am sure there are a few) just not bother? Geez, the elitism (and I have a PhD and make a decent living, but my brother who does not have a high school diploma makes more than I do).
What does your brother do? Sales?
stoptothink
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by stoptothink »

TheNightsToCome wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:58 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:48 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:40 pm
stoptothink wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:34 pm
Tingting1013 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 12:34 pm

The median household doesn’t have a college degree.
And that is relevant because?
I don’t compare how I am doing against the homeless guy hanging out on my corner.
So, should everybody who does not have a college degree who posted in this thread (I am sure there are a few) just not bother? Geez, the elitism (and I have a PhD and make a decent living, but my brother who does not have a high school diploma makes more than I do).
What does your brother do? Sales?
Yes, in the construction industry. My oldest brother (who also does not have a college degree) previously made more than both of us, but he was in oil & gas so that is done.
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JonnyDVM
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by JonnyDVM »

jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
Perhaps 100k puts one in the boglehead middle class, but 145k is a lot of money particularly in a LCOL area. Maybe some here are far removed from this, but I grew up in a middle class middle America household where I would have considered anyone making 100k rich. Your post reads almost like you are hesitant to admit you ONLY make 145k a year by yourself. That’s absurd.
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jakehefty17
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by jakehefty17 »

JonnyDVM wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:05 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
Perhaps 100k puts one in the boglehead middle class, but 145k is a lot of money particularly in a LCOL area. Maybe some here are far removed from this, but I grew up in a middle class middle America household where I would have considered anyone making 100k rich. Your post reads almost like you are hesitant to admit you ONLY make 145k a year by yourself. That’s absurd.
No - to be clear I'm perfectly happy where I'm at and am able to save most of what I take home. I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job (most of the time). I saw recent comments that some here do not consider 100k income as a "high earner"... so I responded to the OP and the rest was an attempt to pull some people back to earth. I understand it's all relative and things are different depending where you're at.

Didn't mean to spark any arguments or come off like I'm hesitant! :oops:
"The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence." -Charles Bukowski
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anon_investor
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by anon_investor »

jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:27 pm
JonnyDVM wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:05 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
Perhaps 100k puts one in the boglehead middle class, but 145k is a lot of money particularly in a LCOL area. Maybe some here are far removed from this, but I grew up in a middle class middle America household where I would have considered anyone making 100k rich. Your post reads almost like you are hesitant to admit you ONLY make 145k a year by yourself. That’s absurd.
No - to be clear I'm perfectly happy where I'm at and am able to save most of what I take home. I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job (most of the time). I saw recent comments that some here do not consider 100k income as a "high earner"... so I responded to the OP and the rest was an attempt to pull some people back to earth. I understand it's all relative and things are different depending where you're at.

Didn't mean to spark any arguments or come off like I'm hesitant! :oops:
I think it is regional whether people think $100k is a high earner. I read that some places in california consider $100k low income legally speaking and grant certain government benefits.
Tingting1013
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Tingting1013 »

anon_investor wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:32 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:27 pm
JonnyDVM wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:05 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
Perhaps 100k puts one in the boglehead middle class, but 145k is a lot of money particularly in a LCOL area. Maybe some here are far removed from this, but I grew up in a middle class middle America household where I would have considered anyone making 100k rich. Your post reads almost like you are hesitant to admit you ONLY make 145k a year by yourself. That’s absurd.
No - to be clear I'm perfectly happy where I'm at and am able to save most of what I take home. I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job (most of the time). I saw recent comments that some here do not consider 100k income as a "high earner"... so I responded to the OP and the rest was an attempt to pull some people back to earth. I understand it's all relative and things are different depending where you're at.

Didn't mean to spark any arguments or come off like I'm hesitant! :oops:
I think it is regional whether people think $100k is a high earner. I read that some places in california consider $100k low income legally speaking and grant certain government benefits.
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oldfort
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by oldfort »

anon_investor wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:32 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:27 pm
JonnyDVM wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:05 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
Perhaps 100k puts one in the boglehead middle class, but 145k is a lot of money particularly in a LCOL area. Maybe some here are far removed from this, but I grew up in a middle class middle America household where I would have considered anyone making 100k rich. Your post reads almost like you are hesitant to admit you ONLY make 145k a year by yourself. That’s absurd.
No - to be clear I'm perfectly happy where I'm at and am able to save most of what I take home. I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job (most of the time). I saw recent comments that some here do not consider 100k income as a "high earner"... so I responded to the OP and the rest was an attempt to pull some people back to earth. I understand it's all relative and things are different depending where you're at.

Didn't mean to spark any arguments or come off like I'm hesitant! :oops:
I think it is regional whether people think $100k is a high earner. I read that some places in california consider $100k low income legally speaking and grant certain government benefits.
If you earn less than 400% of the FPL, then California may provide subsidies for health insurance premiums.
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anon_investor
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by anon_investor »

oldfort wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:39 pm
anon_investor wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:32 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:27 pm
JonnyDVM wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:05 pm
jakehefty17 wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:05 am Technician - Instrument and Controls

Nuclear Power Plant. Union. Have a 2 year specialized degree. Took 4 years experience to hit the full pay rate.

Gross $105k base salary, made around $145k gross last year. Decent travel and overtime opportunities.

I'd say 100k isn't high when compared with many on this forum, but would like to remind everyone that the median household (not individual) income was $68,400 in 2020. Highly dependent on your locality whether or not you feel 100k is high income. I live in a LCOL area, the median household income in my little city is about 43k. Just try to keep things in perspective!
Perhaps 100k puts one in the boglehead middle class, but 145k is a lot of money particularly in a LCOL area. Maybe some here are far removed from this, but I grew up in a middle class middle America household where I would have considered anyone making 100k rich. Your post reads almost like you are hesitant to admit you ONLY make 145k a year by yourself. That’s absurd.
No - to be clear I'm perfectly happy where I'm at and am able to save most of what I take home. I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job (most of the time). I saw recent comments that some here do not consider 100k income as a "high earner"... so I responded to the OP and the rest was an attempt to pull some people back to earth. I understand it's all relative and things are different depending where you're at.

Didn't mean to spark any arguments or come off like I'm hesitant! :oops:
I think it is regional whether people think $100k is a high earner. I read that some places in california consider $100k low income legally speaking and grant certain government benefits.
If you earn less than 400% of the FPL, then California may provide subsidies for health insurance premiums.
So is high income in California higher or lower than high income for BHs?
Variant
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Variant »

Hawkeye_Saver wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:23 am I hope its not too personal of a question, but I'm curious what members earning over 100k do for a living. I would like to break that threshold but it won't happen at my current job. Just looking for a little guidance towards something lucrative that might be up my alley.
Sr. IT Exec at a $1.5B private software company (for context). $270K/yr. plus profit sharing.

Fwiw, we're in a lower COL area but still pay our top engineers north of $200K.
smectym
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by smectym »

sscritic wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:55 am 100k doesn't seem high to me. 100k doesn't pay any of the extra taxes that so many around here worry about. You should ask the profession of those paying the Additional Medicare Tax or the 3.8% tax on net investment income, both of which kick in at 250k joint or 200k single (the medicare tax is on compensation). I could be wrong about the details, but I have seen many posts about these two new taxes.
Everything is relative. $100,000 a year seems like a whole lot of money to most of the population and they don’t want to hear about your tax problems.

On the other hand, a first-year associate at a big law firm now STARTS at $200,000.

There are stories in the press about New Yorkers who are leaving for Florida because they can’t survive in NY on their paltry $500,000/yr.

It goes on up the pyramid, to the investment management firms that won’t take your money (oh, too bad) unless your net worth is a minimum of $30M.
strummer6969
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by strummer6969 »

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Wannaretireearly
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Wannaretireearly »

VHCOL: Manager of a great tech leadership team. Great team earns the big bucks. Think close to 300k plus 150k stock plus 125k bonus! I wish I was close to that. SMH
“At some point you are trading time you will never get back for money you will never spend.“ | “How do you want to spend the best remaining year of your life?“
secondopinion
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by secondopinion »

smectym wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 10:26 pm
sscritic wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:55 am 100k doesn't seem high to me. 100k doesn't pay any of the extra taxes that so many around here worry about. You should ask the profession of those paying the Additional Medicare Tax or the 3.8% tax on net investment income, both of which kick in at 250k joint or 200k single (the medicare tax is on compensation). I could be wrong about the details, but I have seen many posts about these two new taxes.
Everything is relative. $100,000 a year seems like a whole lot of money to most of the population and they don’t want to hear about your tax problems.

On the other hand, a first-year associate at a big law firm now STARTS at $200,000.

There are stories in the press about New Yorkers who are leaving for Florida because they can’t survive in NY on their paltry $500,000/yr.

It goes on up the pyramid, to the investment management firms that won’t take your money (oh, too bad) unless your net worth is a minimum of $30M.
Yet another reason for me not to live in New York. Of course, I do wonder how many “necessities” are really not in that number.

For reference, I make in the ballpark of $100k and live in a semi-urban area developing into an urban area.
Passive investing: not about making big bucks but making profits. Active investing: not about beating the market but meeting goals. Speculation: not about timing the market but taking profitable risks.
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by jharkin »

smectym wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 10:26 pm
sscritic wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:55 am 100k doesn't seem high to me. 100k doesn't pay any of the extra taxes that so many around here worry about. You should ask the profession of those paying the Additional Medicare Tax or the 3.8% tax on net investment income, both of which kick in at 250k joint or 200k single (the medicare tax is on compensation). I could be wrong about the details, but I have seen many posts about these two new taxes.
Everything is relative. $100,000 a year seems like a whole lot of money to most of the population and they don’t want to hear about your tax problems.

On the other hand, a first-year associate at a big law firm now STARTS at $200,000.

There are stories in the press about New Yorkers who are leaving for Florida because they can’t survive in NY on their paltry $500,000/yr.

It goes on up the pyramid, to the investment management firms that won’t take your money (oh, too bad) unless your net worth is a minimum of $30M.
Not to mention that single taxpayers only start having the extra Medicare tax withheld over 200k… and the tiny 0.9% extra is more than offset by the 6.2% less they had been paying since FICA topped out at $147k.

Cry me a river.

I may hit some of these taxes for the first time in my entire life thisyear and I will celebrate and happily pay them :beer :beer
Livehard1234
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Livehard1234 »

Complaining about taxes is the great American pastime.
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by HMSVictory »

Work for the government.

They have an unlimited budget (well sort of), spend twice what they make, can print money and aren't so great at math! 8-)

I know of several 2 income .gov households in the 300-400k range.
Last edited by HMSVictory on Tue May 17, 2022 6:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by HMSVictory »

Livehard1234 wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:30 am Complaining about taxes is the great American pastime.
Rooted in the founding of our country aka the Boston tea party!
Stay the course!
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by z3r0c00l »

secondopinion wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 2:07 am
smectym wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 10:26 pm
sscritic wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2014 7:55 am 100k doesn't seem high to me. 100k doesn't pay any of the extra taxes that so many around here worry about. You should ask the profession of those paying the Additional Medicare Tax or the 3.8% tax on net investment income, both of which kick in at 250k joint or 200k single (the medicare tax is on compensation). I could be wrong about the details, but I have seen many posts about these two new taxes.
Everything is relative. $100,000 a year seems like a whole lot of money to most of the population and they don’t want to hear about your tax problems.

On the other hand, a first-year associate at a big law firm now STARTS at $200,000.

There are stories in the press about New Yorkers who are leaving for Florida because they can’t survive in NY on their paltry $500,000/yr.

It goes on up the pyramid, to the investment management firms that won’t take your money (oh, too bad) unless your net worth is a minimum of $30M.
Yet another reason for me not to live in New York. Of course, I do wonder how many “necessities” are really not in that number.

For reference, I make in the ballpark of $100k and live in a semi-urban area developing into an urban area.
Plenty of low income people live in NYC. It isn't easy but it is perfectly doable. Fully half of all apartments are rent stabilized, for example. Anyone who thinks you need XXX,XXX to live here is wrong and probably shouldn't say it out loud.
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by HootingSloth »

HMSVictory wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:30 am Work for the government.

They have an unlimited budget (well sort of), spend twice what they make, can print money and aren't so great at math! 8-)

I know of several 2 income .gov households in the 300-400k range.
We are a dual lawyer couple, with household income around 600k.

My wife moved over to the government many years ago, and HHl would have been much higher if she had not done so. She took a 60% paycut to serve the public. If you are in a high income profession, the government is not the answer to maximizing comp (but can be great for other reasons). Government pay is very flat and has a much lower cap than comparable private sector jobs.
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by michaeljc70 »

HootingSloth wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 7:08 am
HMSVictory wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:30 am Work for the government.

They have an unlimited budget (well sort of), spend twice what they make, can print money and aren't so great at math! 8-)

I know of several 2 income .gov households in the 300-400k range.
We are a dual lawyer couple, with household income around 600k.

My wife moved over to the government many years ago, and HHl would have been much higher if she had not done so. She took a 60% paycut to serve the public. If you are in a high income profession, the government is not the answer to maximizing comp (but can be great for other reasons). Government pay is very flat and has a much lower cap than comparable private sector jobs.
How do the hours compare?
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by muffins14 »

z3r0c00l wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:42 am
Plenty of low income people live in NYC. It isn't easy but it is perfectly doable. Fully half of all apartments are rent stabilized, for example. Anyone who thinks you need XXX,XXX to live here is wrong and probably shouldn't say it out loud.
+1
I was also frustrated by the hyperbole in this post
Crom laughs at your Four Winds
Old Guy
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Old Guy »

$270,000. Retired. Two federal government pensions; two state government pensions; social security; and RMDs.
HootingSloth
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by HootingSloth »

michaeljc70 wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 7:14 am
HootingSloth wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 7:08 am
HMSVictory wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:30 am Work for the government.

They have an unlimited budget (well sort of), spend twice what they make, can print money and aren't so great at math! 8-)

I know of several 2 income .gov households in the 300-400k range.
We are a dual lawyer couple, with household income around 600k.

My wife moved over to the government many years ago, and HHl would have been much higher if she had not done so. She took a 60% paycut to serve the public. If you are in a high income profession, the government is not the answer to maximizing comp (but can be great for other reasons). Government pay is very flat and has a much lower cap than comparable private sector jobs.
How do the hours compare?
Initially government hours were probably a bit longer, although I would say they are somewhat less now. Criminals don't care about your work life balance and judges don't really either. It is true that government hours are more a function of internal motivation relative to the private sector, so if your goal was to work less you probably could do that. My experience of my wife's colleagues at least is that that kind of personality exists but is not the norm.
Global Market Portfolio + modest tilt towards volatility (80/20->60/40 as approach FI) + modest tilt away from exchange rate risk (80% global+20% U.S. stocks; currency-hedge bonds) + tax optimization
kleiner
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by kleiner »

I worked in software research, mostly AI. I retired at the end of 2020 and my wife is a senior exec in pharma. In 2020, the last year I worked, we made well over $600k.

My starting salary was $70k when I started work in the early 1990s. Out of curiosity, I looked up the the BLS inflation calculator, and discovered that that is over $120k in 2022 dollars. So I guess I was pretty well paid right from the start.
TheoBanana
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by TheoBanana »

Information Security Leadership - $305k
J45
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by J45 »

Forensic psychiatrist
Learning every day from this site on how to manage $
jharkin
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Location: Boston suburbs

Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by jharkin »

I should also add some value (I posted in this thread a long while back but due to job changes an update is appropriate)

We are a high earning household ~ 320-330k combined in metro Boston.
* me: Software program manager in a mid-private software company. ~ 250k TC
* mrs: school nurse ~ 70-80k TC depending on extra stipends for overtime/summer work

I have zero complaints about our situation. I happily pay our taxes to support good services and schools as I never dreamed we would make anywhere near this much (and taxes are not really that bad, with kids and a house and maxing retirement we are only into the 24% fed and property taxes are modest considering the size of the house). Also our cost of living in the Boston outer suburbs I would say is just moderate and we manage to save 30-40% of income easily.
bradinsky
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by bradinsky »

BOGLEHEADS is a great site but so many here are braggarts & full of themselves. Some really fascinating stories too. No college degree here. One income family all ours lives & we got by. Kids are all educated with good jobs & we’re retired & comfortable.
DonIce
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by DonIce »

Hardware Engineer - 130k salary + 170k stock
audioengr
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Location: Knoxville

Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by audioengr »

Systems Engineer supporting Research - basic care and feeding of computer systems
I could probably make more moving out of research, but I get a lot of satisfaction knowing the people I support are changing the world.
I make just over $100K

DW - Payroll at Large Cap Media Company
$75K with bonus

I never dreamed we'd make anywhere near this amount of money.
We live the modest suburban life, save 30-40%, and try to follow the lessons of our fellow Bogleheads.
marcopolo
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by marcopolo »

bradinsky wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 10:36 am BOGLEHEADS is a great site but so many here are braggarts & full of themselves. Some really fascinating stories too. No college degree here. One income family all ours lives & we got by. Kids are all educated with good jobs & we’re retired & comfortable.
Congratulations on your success.
Sounds like you are doing a little bragging yourself :beer
Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.
bradinsky
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by bradinsky »

marcopolo wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:06 pm
bradinsky wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 10:36 am BOGLEHEADS is a great site but so many here are braggarts & full of themselves. Some really fascinating stories too. No college degree here. One income family all ours lives & we got by. Kids are all educated with good jobs & we’re retired & comfortable.
Congratulations on your success.
Sounds like you are doing a little bragging yourself :beer
Maybe about our children. So many need to understand that life’s not all about money.
Caliscotsman
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Caliscotsman »

I sell Research Instrumentation to Govt. Labs.
90 mins a day if that. They call me when they have budget.
130K a year.

Live by the beach in SoCal.
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TomatoTomahto
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by TomatoTomahto »

bradinsky wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:12 pm
marcopolo wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:06 pm
bradinsky wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 10:36 am BOGLEHEADS is a great site but so many here are braggarts & full of themselves. Some really fascinating stories too. No college degree here. One income family all ours lives & we got by. Kids are all educated with good jobs & we’re retired & comfortable.
Congratulations on your success.
Sounds like you are doing a little bragging yourself :beer
Maybe about our children. So many need to understand that life’s not all about money.
I’ll use any opportunity to brag on my kids. They don’t like it though, so I have tried to cut back.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
as9
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by as9 »

Private media/tech (IC, not an engineer) - $225k all base. Have a small amount of fully vested equity as well but don't count that.

I've worked from home for 5+ years and work 35-40 hours a week (including some occasional nights as needed). Unlimited vacation (will probably take around 25 days this year).
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1hotjava
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by 1hotjava »

Consulting Engineer.
- Paul | Kansas City | "Dont look for the needle in the haystack, just buy the haystack" -Bogle
hnd
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by hnd »

Salesperson. I sell practice management software to law firms. base is 115k and OTE floor is 200k. wife is SAHM. not sure if this counts. I live in the midwest. LCOL.
TomWambsgans
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by TomWambsgans »

Work in management at a publicly traded tech company in Silicon Valley. Very high six to very low seven figures, depending on the year.
sailaway
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by sailaway »

DonIce wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 11:08 am Hardware Engineer - 130k salary + 170k stock
DH is downshifting in this field. His .5 FTE salary will be just over the local household median income and he is part of a "wind down" program that will allow his existing RSUs to continue to vest for the first year.
Johny Fever
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by Johny Fever »

Bride is an ER doc part time and a Hobby Farmer..I build and repair very expensive cars. We raised 6 kids and they all still like us. She has an MD degree and I have an MBA, both from Northwestern. My greatest skill is in welding, hers is in repairing humans...we live in a LCOL area and pay taxes on about 600K a year. Do what you love to do...it usually pays better and you dont have to take a lot of -hit from people that way.
newyorker
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by newyorker »

I think only businessman can hit 8 figure income. Professionals can barely hit 7 fig.
afr
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by afr »

Livehard1234 wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 6:30 am Complaining about taxes is the great American pastime.
Not if you can take advantage of the carried interest loophole. Or if you happen to be Peter Thiel.
kartoffelpuffer
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by kartoffelpuffer »

I am a computer science PhD working in an industry research position. I make between 400K to 500K a year depending on bonuses and stock price swings.
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FlameChemist
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Re: High Earners - What's Your Profession?

Post by FlameChemist »

Bench scientist at top 10 pharma checking in. Background in engineering but pays ~120k total comp. Huge gap between bench and management which starts to get significant amount of comp in RSUs once you leave the lab. Awesome cycle of great scientists becoming mediocre middle management but much higher pay.
"Being lucky seems to be your greatest tactic."
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