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A race for bread

Who is winning the salary competition?


I have a client who has a need in her business that would require a $55k investment. This investment would need to come from her annual distributions this year.


My client has a very healthy business and is well financially positioned for retirement.


I asked her if she was prepared to make this investment and her answer was no.


Confused, I asked why. What would that mean for her personal financial position.


She quickly replied that the decrease would not matter. She wouldn’t even notice it. But……she still didn’t want to do it. Because that would mean she would earn less than her husband that year.


I stared at her in silence.


Not because I think this is crazy….but because I have the same personal belief.


No way am I falling behind in the earnings race.


2 years ago when the w-2’s came in the mail I was furious because I ‘lost’ by $1,800.


This is a race I have completely made up for myself. My husband was ignorant of its existence until a couple years ago. And when I made him aware, his response was coyly that he didn’t give a shit what I earned.


Ice ran through my veins. “But you sure like our boat!” was my reply. Not my finest moment.


I have a strange attachment to the salary race. I have decided that if I’m going to work (and deprive my family of attention) I better make it worth it.