A recent thread on Reddit's r/MiddleClassFinance sparked a heated discussion about why people making far more than the median income often feel just as financially insecure as everyone else. Despite being able to max out retirement accounts, live in desirable zip codes, and take luxury vacations, many high earners insist they don't feel safe or wealthy.
Fear Of Falling Back
For many, the feeling comes down to fear. One commenter wrote, “The higher you get, the more you realize just how far behind rich-rich people you really are. Also, for those who worked their way up from being poor, the fear of ending up where you started.” Another added, “I'm terrified of being poor again. I'm hyper aware that it takes luck to break out. But because of that awareness, I'm also aware that luck can run out at any moment.”
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Others echoed that sentiment, saying even multimillionaires worry about a sudden job loss, medical diagnosis, or market crash undoing decades of hard work. As one put it, “You're one medical diagnosis away from becoming indigent.”
Job Instability And Lifestyle Creep
High-paying jobs themselves often feel fragile. Layoffs are frequent, expectations are unclear, and replacing a $300,000 salary is far harder than finding another $50,000 role. “A layoff can come out of nowhere. I’ve been caught up in mass layoffs four of the last five years,” one person admitted.
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At the same time, many high earners face large fixed expenses. Bigger homes, steep property taxes, private school tuition, and high living costs in major metro areas leave little room for error. As another explained, “The outrageous cost of living in major metropolitan areas and expectations of what you should have given your income” can make even a strong salary feel insufficient.
Comparisons And The Arrival Fallacy
Social comparison plays a major role. Some commenters noted that high earners are often surrounded by people with eight- or nine-figure wealth, making their own success feel small. “No matter how much you earn, someone always makes more. No matter how nice your house and car, someone always has a better one,” one person wrote. “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
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Others described the so-called arrival fallacy, where financial goals never bring lasting satisfaction. One commenter put it simply: “By the time I've hit them, I may have a few moments of satisfaction/joy that it's finally ‘enough’…but within moments, I feel like it's not enough.”
Always Waiting For The Rug To Be Pulled
The thread underscored that many high earners feel trapped in a cycle of anxiety. They know they're objectively better off than most people, but uncertainty around jobs, healthcare, housing, and retirement makes it difficult to ever feel secure. Or as one person summed it up: “I always say I’m one bad year away from being homeless. I’m not one good year from being rich.”
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