Anonymous wrote:How many people who are under 40 have a net worth of $5mm+ and didn’t get family help? I can’t think there is that many…

+1. My family Absolutely no family help at all---both came from middle income or lower middle income families who are still at that level today

ITA. This is the path I see as well. Bootstraps my butt.

Anonymous wrote:The people I know that are upper middle class and wealthy got it from stealth inheritance. You wouldn’t know unless you are close friends with them. What is common among all of them (the three I know very well) are they are hard workers, went into tech, started their own companies, and never would have been able to do it without mommy and day funding the beginning of the business and proving a soft landing zone for them if things went bad. In other words they would have had to suffer any consequences if their business failed.

From the outside it looks like it was all them. But in truth it was a wealthy foundation they built upon.

+1. The overwhelming majority had a great launching pad. Of course these are people who are highly intelligent, willing to put in the work and had luck/timing on their side, but without the launching pad they would not have not reached as far. It's not just the soft landing, it's all the opportunities given since birth that make a huge difference but that are hard to value economically. Going to certain schools, playing certain sports, music, art and extracurriculars, vacations, mannerism and ways of communicating that allow them to more easily bond with and influence those in powerful circles. People make snap decisions about others and doors are opened or closed based on those snap decisions.

Getting rich ($20M+ NW) from a working class or middle class background is as likely as making it to the NBA.

How many people who are under 40 have a net worth of $5mm+ and didn’t get family help? I can’t think there is that many…

Oil & mineral rights.

Anonymous wrote:Why is this question asked on DCUM every week??

Because people want to be rich and want to find out how others got there. LOL

Anonymous wrote:One that comes to mind started as in house counsel for a small startup which was then bought out.

DH is a big law partner and our income might be higher but our net worth is nothing compared to what successful businesspeople have. I’m not complaining at all but there’s rich and then there’s *rich*.

The bolded is something the professional class loves to ignore. So true!

Anonymous wrote:How the heck are people assuming they know others' net worth? Do your friends actually tell you that? I find this very strange. This is not something my friends and people in my social circle talk about and I went to one of those colleges where it's common to have wealth.

I googled someone I follow on Instagram because her life looked interesting and I wanted to know who she is. Her and her husband’s home address came up showing they live on the upper east side and they bought it for 12+ million.

I remember coming across a friend’s father LinkedIn and it showed he’s the ceo. I thought nothing of it then I came across an article because we work in the same industry and it discussed the 20 million+ he makes as ceo. This is so common in tech, healthcare, etc.

They’re are many ways people tell you and show you their wealthy without without saying it out loud.


Also, younger millennials are not afraid to say out loud they come from well for families. That’s something I admire about younger millennials and gen z. They’re more open about discussing money. Although, I think that’s going to stop giving the economic divide that is getting bigger and bigger.

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How the heck are people assuming they know others' net worth? Do your friends actually tell you that? I find this very strange. This is not something my friends and people in my social circle talk about and I went to one of those colleges where it's common to have wealth.