Anonymous wrote:I'm 33 years old and "only" make $86k but I get to WFH full time, only work 40 hours a week, and can live anywhere in the US that has broadband internet access. No grad degree but I do have a BS.

DH is 36 and makes $65k a year and is a lawyer. But he's in a public service job and loves what he does. He also only works 40 hours a week (although in an office).

What do you do?

$85k at age 34 in journalism. Hoping to cross over to corporate communications soon and get above $100k.

Anonymous wrote:35 year old government lawyer making $90,000 here.

DH is also 35, not a lawyer, and makes $80,000.

I love my government job.

Do you? I'm so bored.

35 year old government lawyer making $90,000 here.

DH is also 35, not a lawyer, and makes $80,000.

I love my government job.

Only about 20 percent of American households even break the six-figure mark, according to Census Bureau data. But while many Americans still see that number as a prized income, it doesn't necessarily roll out the red carpet anymore.

http://statisticalatlas.com/United-States/Household-Income

DH is early 40s and and makes around $85-90K. He gets to work from home, has more flexibility, and has very defined on/off clock hours. He's also not driven and works to live rather than the other way around.

I'm the opposite, and it works out well for us.

I make 90k and DH makes 80k (with 25% bonus so more like 100k gross). I used to make more but switched to a nonprofit. We are both 39.

He is an in-house lawyer and underpaid. Looking for a new job which will hopefully pay a bit better.

Own our house outright due to inheritance so that obviously makes a huge difference. College also funded though we do contribute to 529s.

Anonymous wrote:I'm 33 years old and "only" make $86k but I get to WFH full time, only work 40 hours a week, and can live anywhere in the US that has broadband internet access. No grad degree but I do have a BS.

DH is 36 and makes $65k a year and is a lawyer. But he's in a public service job and loves what he does. He also only works 40 hours a week (although in an office).

You're like me. My DH makes the same as me, as a professor, and we live in a high-cost area but not nearly as high-cost as DC (think Philadelphia).

Anonymous wrote:In my early 50's. Moved across country to became first year Fed months ago with a salary under 100K so we could take several vacations a year traveling 1st/business class overseas.

If you're making under $100k, how are you affording to fly first-class?

I'm a 38yo fed making 75k, which is way more than what I was making as a college professor.

I make about $35k at 39 working 25 hours a week and taking about 3 months off a year for vacations.
I'll never make $100k and never thought of it as a goal, but 2 things are about to make our work/home life easier: DC will be going to public PK and one of our mortgages will be retired in 5 years. I can work more and rental income won't go to the bank.
DH makes $95k as an electrical engineer.

Anonymous wrote:I am 40, and make 58k. I will probably never make 100k. But I love my job and I am happy.

Really, that's all that is important.

I read that $79k is the point of diminishing returns. I think in an area like Metro DC with a HCOL, it might be much closer to $100k. Around $88k, I felt secure enough about real necessities for my kids (food, shelter, clothing, and medical care). We saved tiny amounts for an emergency and spent the excess on cultural travel and educational enrichment.

Anonymous wrote:Most people never hit 100k. I know many people with college degrees making far less. And most people couldn't care less. Ask anyone in investment banking about their work/life balance LOL

Agreed. I had a bunch of friends who went into i-banking. They made a ton of money, but the first few years were hell. They worked so much that they couldn't even spend all that money they were making. Worse, they couldn't even appreciate their nice apartments. They were never there!

That said, when they did get time off, they did it right.

Not sure how things are now, as it's been awhile.

31 making 53k. Will probably never get to 100k unless I get my grad degree and open a private practice.

I am 40, and make 58k. I will probably never make 100k. But I love my job and I am happy.