Resentment at 100k

[Arseholeneighbours]

Theres a lot of vitriol spilt towards people being “high earners” at 100k and over. As net contributors, and most likely having made sacrifices, stresses and difficult life decisions, there’s many judgements about life choices , expectations and living within one’s means. What is the motivation to push forward in a career and to try and be as successful as one can if there’s no personal gain? It’s all well and good saying those with the broadest shoulders should take on the most - but to what end?

100k is symbolic but it doesn't really mean what it used to, partly because of changes to taxes and benefits and partly due to wage inflation and cost of living increases. I think we should find a new target for our envy and hate 500k is the next obvious increment.

Yes I put 100k for that reason. But it is still the cliff edge for tax and credits.

It’s simple enough to dodge the worst effects of the governments greediness if you are earning around the £100,000 mark. Usually such people have the knowledge and motivation to do so. Reeves assault on salary sacrifice acknowledges this.

Try being on 40k a year and not entitled to any benefits, with a mortgage, in the south east.

Yes, but that’s also one of the points of this thread….why strive more at this cliff edge

Could you leave the south east?

Yes, I suppose that is my point. No one can argue it isn't a decent salary but its (1) attainable (senior teacher?), (2) not Scrooge McDuck money. But the cliff edge has was attached to the symbolic figure and even though it no longer has the same value the cliff edge has not been adjusted upwards in proportion. (and that assumes one believes in the principle of punishing high earning workers)

Nope, because my husband needs to be near London for his work (he works in film) there are no jobs like this outside of London.

I’m all for fair taxation OP which to me should mean that we all FEEL that we are benefitting somehow within the system.

'Broadest shoulders' is a joke anyway. Tax billionaires and corporations fairly and, yes, that makes sense. A worker sacrificing their freedom and family time on 100k is not the one with the broadest shoulders.

What will happen is brain drain for those who want to achieve, and those who stay will not bother.

I agree it’s a decent salary, and 20 years ago when I started on my career path it was a goal, but as you say with inflation it doesn’t get so far anymore, yet it still used as a benchmark for punitive tax measures. To jump from 100k to 125k is not an easy task and there is no incentive

Yes ! But maybe I need to take emotions out of it!

But the higher earners on paye are the easy targets

I am a high earner, and your post is utter bullshit.

Firstly, it is not a given that we are all "net contributors". I have MS - I'm pretty sure I am now taking more out of the NHS than I pay in tax.

Secondly, I am now seeing the purpose of being able to contribute for several years. It's not so that I can whine about tax and look down on people less fortunate than me. It's so that the state will support me when I need it. I'm fortunate to still be working. I'm also fortunate not to live in the USA, because the cost of my treatment would have bankrupted me by now.

Thirdly - the absolute temerity of claiming there is "no personal gain"! You work all month and come home with nothing, do you? The government takes every penny? In that case I strongly recommend that you give up work and see if it is possible for you to sustain your current lifestyle on minimum wage. And then, just as an experiment, see how easy it is for you to climb back up that ladder when you change your mind.

Being a high earner, contributing to the society in which you live and having a tangible stake in that society - these are what we call privileges. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have come from a working class family, if only because it means I don't think like you.

To what end? Better public services for everyone.

To quote the OP:

"As net contributors, and most likely having made sacrifices,...."

I don't think there is resentment to people earning 100k, I think it's the bit in bold that causes a bit of resentment, The " I pulled my bootstraps up, made sacrifices, why can't you" attitude.

Do you think a warehouse worker getting up at 5am on a winters night to go do a 12 hour shift on minimum wage is not "making sacrifices" ?

That, and the fact that many people who say the bootstrap stuff brush off the luck factor. Luck does play a part.

And lets be brutally honest. Most of us have seen the way workplace politics work. It is not always the best that get promoted.

Many of us have experienced it first hand, the sycophantic two faced stuff that goes on. For such a person then to say " I pulled my bootstraps up and made sacrifices to get to where I am", , people can get a bit riled.

The latter points not aimed at the OP of course.

I’m not whining or looking down on anybody and not really sure why you reference the US.
OK, so in your opinion I should work a 90 hour week, spend zero time with my family for the good of society?

I’m in exactly the same boat. It’s really hard.

in all honesty I think I probably took bigger risks than a warehouse worker yes. Moved counties, moved jobs, went into a niche role which results in less alternative options. I don’t doubt we all work as hard at all.

I assume you’re lucky to be in a postcode area where the NHS still provides some level of care. Here it’s non existent and it’s even starting to affect private provision - which is now overstretched due to the recent influx of people looking to opt out of NHS care.

There is no safety net anymore. We’re increasingly being asked to pay into a system into which we have no stake. The salary sacrifice changes were particularly galling for this reason. High taxes to support pensions for today’s ageing population with no guarantee of future provision, and diminishing opportunities to save for own pensions.

Do you have a reading comprehension problem? My post was crystal clear.

Do you think luck played any part at all ?

"There's no safety net anymore" say the Tories, whilst insisting that benefits are too high and must be cut.

thats hard to say, maybe my upbringing where anything was deemed possible? How can i differentiate between luck versus opportunity I was willing to take?