Most money you've made in a year

I'm the sole shareholder of a relatively small engineering firm. A few years ago I was paying myself 250k, which is the most I've personally made in a year. Now I hover around 90-100k, and work less, which makes me feel more wealthy because I'm able to enjoy myself more. I also have a lot of assets that, if I needed to, I could free up in a hurry to have a lot of liquid capital. This fact also increases my comfort level.

$1.4M when I exercised some stock options. Steady state, I make closer to $300K/yr + stock options in a new company.

Do I feel wealthy? No. Clobbered by taxes and private school tuition for 3 kids (about $100K/yr after tax). That will go away in a few years, though. So, it should feel like a massive raise.

I made a little over a million a few years ago, but that was a small lottery win. Most on salary was $80k. I neither know nor particularly care what my 401(k) balance is. I have no intention of ever quitting work.

Do I feel wealthy? absolutely - by any reasonable standard I am incredibly wealthy. I don't have Gates/Buffett/Walton money, but I own a house, I love my job, I have an amazing family where everyone is healthy and happy, I have 4 children and 2 grandchildren, I live in a very pleasant small town where I don't have to lock my doors, I always have enough food/clothing/shelter. Life is very good and I can't imagine how millions or billions of dollars would be better.

Dunno wrote:

$1.4M when I exercised some stock options. Steady state, I make closer to $300K/yr + stock options in a new company.

Do I feel wealthy? No. Clobbered by taxes and private school tuition for 3 kids (about $100K/yr after tax). That will go away in a few years, though. So, it should feel like a massive raise.

You make $300k/year and spend $100k/year on private school? That's f'ing crazy.

Note: I send my kids to public school.

1.6 mil. Our company just got bought out and will have to pay about 500,000.00 in taxes. I don't feel rich at all.

Wife and I combined for 150 with similar salaries.

We figured that between income, property, and sales taxes one of us works the entire year to pay taxes.

And they wonder why we are so discouraged.

You're right, that guy is an idiot or a liar. Of course 9 of 10 on this thread are liars so who cares? Here's my story at 45yo...

Top year of $260k, many years between $200-260. Wife has worked off and on making decent money but not six figures. We've saved a lot, but also spend irresponsibly. Own our home and end up saving several thousand per month. Sounds great right? I don't feel rich in any way. I could be laid off tomorrow. If that happens I may not find a similar paying job for years if ever. I have a shitload of money in retirement accounts...not available for 15 years.

Couldn't possibly care less what people think of my story. I just look at my stress level and think about what most people with far less must be going through.

I made about $111k in one year. Salary plus stuff I do on the side. But this is how it works...

As soon as you feel good looking at your checking and savings is the minute some major catastrophe happens. You know, like laptop hinges randomly combusting and car problems. Irresponsible family member legal fees and bail money.

When it rains it poors. More money, more problems.

Hovering right around 650k$ for 2+ years now, but it requires quite a bit of time and effort (I only get 1-2 days off a month). That said, I like the challenge of what I do and I get bored pretty quickly when I'm not doing it.

As for "feeling rich"-- I was born into a family with two loving, stable parents, three siblings, and 4 living grandparents-- any one of whom would have cut out one of their kidneys with a rusty knife for me if I had needed it.

I knew that I was rich even as a 10 year old.

My grandparents have passed on, but a wife, children, a great brother- and sister-in-law and nieces and nephews have joined. I'm still amazingly rich.

unclesams property wrote:

Wife and I combined for 150 with similar salaries.

We figured that between income, property, and sales taxes one of us works the entire year to pay taxes.

And they wonder why we are so discouraged.

You pay 75k a year in taxes? You know that you can deduct the property tax for your home, right?

$1.5 million, which was the a good bonus year, typically $1.2 million. Nothing exotic or tax sheltered so I end up paying close to half of it in federal and state income tax, and property tax on my home. Don't feel rich, lead a pretty normal lifestyle but definitely comfortable and don't have to worry about paying the bills while putting a lot away for retirement.

...and do you feel wealthy?

Editor's addition: Please also state what job you had when making that much money.

I like this thread but wanted everyone to know I've edited the original post. Please add what your job was when you made the money.

kibitzer wrote:

A little over $80k, I think. Last year, half that. In NYC, that's beyond pathetic.

Okay, Wejo: I was working as a contract attorney aka temp lawyer.

Bad form Josh wrote:

Boycott Univision wrote:

Not sure about that. When my stock portfolio drops $250K in a year, I say I lost a quarter mil in the market last year. Conversely, if it goes up by the same, I don't need to liquidate my holdings to claim I've gained.

Don't think it's too much of a stretch to apply the same principles to the real estate market.

There is a major difference here. For example, if you purchase $250,000 in stocks and your portfolio drops $250,000 you have indeed lost that money. If you purchase $250,000 and it appreciates in value to 500,000 and then drops to 250,000 - you have not lost 250,000 - you have a net of zero.

Do you lost 10,000 when you drive a new 20,000 car off the lot?

I would characterize your example as having gained $250K then having lost all of my gains. Aka. I made $250k in the market last year and lost $250k this year.

Not sure how this applies to the person who gaine a mil in real estate? If he's up a cool mil, he has made a mil with his holdings. He could lose it all or make another mil next year. But that would have no bearing on the fact that during this year he made a mil.

Back to the topic, my best year was $250K. 140 in salary plus 110 through a stock investment that paid off nicely.

I was a driver in 2014 and made 31,145, but I made more (34,000-35,000) in other years. I felt incredibly fortunate, if not wealthy, because I got to share it with my kids.

I have some potential ventures on the horizon in 2016 that could net me far more, but we'll see how that goes.

not this shit again wrote:

mini-Trump wrote:

Almost $1 million. I didn't do much. Real estate just exploded.

Unless you actually sold this real estate and pocketed close to $1,000,000 you did not make that much. An asset appreciating is not the same thing as actually "making" that money.

Actually its exactly the same thing.

That's way more than most people give.

Hmmm...about 125k I think? Financial controller. Doesn't feel like I'm living a wealthy lifestyle but I also don't worry about money, which is nice.