This might be a controversial take but, I don’t think seven figure net worth qualifies as rich anymore. I am going to guess the comfort zone now is in the mid eight figures. Seven figures doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have to work until you die. All it takes are a few health issues and the US healthcare system will drain your life’s savings.
SOURCE: In US. Survived heart surgery and cancer. What scared me the most was not dying, it was leaving my wife in financial ruin.
Seven figure net worth is probably as close as you can come to “middle class,” at least in the more expensive states. In most areas, you’ll live comfortably but still have to work ~40 hrs/week until you’re 60-65.
Of course there are exceptions, if you have good employer insurance that doesn’t deny a quarter of all claims you might not go broke from medical expenses, but that also means paying a much higher monthly premium.
There’s also of course huge variety in the cost of living. A million dollars in Seattle or Los Angeles might get you a small house, but a million dollars in Atlanta or Indianapolis will get you something much nicer.
I consider $100k to be minimum wage in Seattle. It was just enough to not be constantly money stressed as long as I was living modestly. I could see doctors, invest in hobbies, have choices in food, build savings/retirement. Could not eat out every day, buy a house any time soon, or impulse buy particularly expensive stuff. Any time I made less than $100k here I felt like I was always two steps behind, at about that salary my life stopped focusing on scraping by. I make more now and I feel like I’m actually thriving here. Still quite a difference in what I’d consider to be middle class though like there’s no way I can get a house here and I’d for sure be much worse off if I had kids
It’s just amazing to see the difference to where I live in Europe. I’m below 100k, but our income is considered quite high and we just got a large-enough house for our family of five about 30 minutes (by car) away from our jobs. It’s staggering. Even more so if you consider that wages are said to be too high to be competitive.
I’ve done the math and i could live very comfortably for the next fifty years on two million, assuming my portfolio followed the market. I can’t remember now whether I planned for 50k or 100k in withdrawals every year but honestly I’d be fine on 50k 2024 dollars a year. maybe I just don’t dream big enough.
The idea of being a millionaire having “made it” stems from the 50s. Adjusted for inflation, that equates to about $10M today. So that’s probably the level to be truely comfortable with F-U money. Health”care” aside.
It’s bonkers that, had you died they would still have gone after your wife for the money, they didn’t even do you job, then they want to do something so inhumane. These aren’t people.
This might be a controversial take but, I don’t think seven figure net worth qualifies as rich anymore. I am going to guess the comfort zone now is in the mid eight figures. Seven figures doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have to work until you die. All it takes are a few health issues and the US healthcare system will drain your life’s savings.
SOURCE: In US. Survived heart surgery and cancer. What scared me the most was not dying, it was leaving my wife in financial ruin.
What?
Whaatt???
Ah, yeah, the US. No questions.
Man, I’m so glad I don’t live there. Living in the US is right up there on the list of things I’m glad I don’t have to do, next to cave diving.
Seven figure net worth is probably as close as you can come to “middle class,” at least in the more expensive states. In most areas, you’ll live comfortably but still have to work ~40 hrs/week until you’re 60-65.
Of course there are exceptions, if you have good employer insurance that doesn’t deny a quarter of all claims you might not go broke from medical expenses, but that also means paying a much higher monthly premium.
There’s also of course huge variety in the cost of living. A million dollars in Seattle or Los Angeles might get you a small house, but a million dollars in Atlanta or Indianapolis will get you something much nicer.
I consider $100k to be minimum wage in Seattle. It was just enough to not be constantly money stressed as long as I was living modestly. I could see doctors, invest in hobbies, have choices in food, build savings/retirement. Could not eat out every day, buy a house any time soon, or impulse buy particularly expensive stuff. Any time I made less than $100k here I felt like I was always two steps behind, at about that salary my life stopped focusing on scraping by. I make more now and I feel like I’m actually thriving here. Still quite a difference in what I’d consider to be middle class though like there’s no way I can get a house here and I’d for sure be much worse off if I had kids
It’s just amazing to see the difference to where I live in Europe. I’m below 100k, but our income is considered quite high and we just got a large-enough house for our family of five about 30 minutes (by car) away from our jobs. It’s staggering. Even more so if you consider that wages are said to be too high to be competitive.
I’ve done the math and i could live very comfortably for the next fifty years on two million, assuming my portfolio followed the market. I can’t remember now whether I planned for 50k or 100k in withdrawals every year but honestly I’d be fine on 50k 2024 dollars a year. maybe I just don’t dream big enough.
I live in Australia, 7 figures mostly won’t cut it for a life of not working either. 10m will cover it almost anywhere though
The idea of being a millionaire having “made it” stems from the 50s. Adjusted for inflation, that equates to about $10M today. So that’s probably the level to be truely comfortable with F-U money. Health”care” aside.
It’s bonkers that, had you died they would still have gone after your wife for the money, they didn’t even do you job, then they want to do something so inhumane. These aren’t people.
That’s why some people resort to divorce prior to pursuing treatment. Look it up. It’s a horror show.