Nomadsoul1 / Depositphotos Earning more money can make it easier to pay the bills, fund your financial goals and spend on hobbies or “fun,” but what income is considered to make you rich? The answer can depend on several factors, including where you live, what type of job you have, how much you save or invest and how you typically spend your money.
If you’re looking for help to reach your financial goals and be considered “rich” in your own eyes then consider building a plan and working with a financial advisor .
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Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now . What Income Is Considered Rich?
Pinning down an exact income level that qualifies you as “rich” is difficult, as there are numerous studies and surveys that attempt to measure it. To keep things simple, let’s consider where the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sets the bar for the top 1% of earners first.
According to the most recent data available for fiscal year 2019 , an income of $540,009 per year puts you in the top 1% category. Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich.
The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you’re in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year. What Is a Rich Monthly Income?
The amount of money you need to make each month to be rich depends on which metric you’re using. If you’re going by the IRS standard, then you’d need to make approximately $45,000 a month to be rich. On the other hand, if you’re aiming for the top 1% as measured by the EPI, you’d need a monthly income of $68,277.
To reach that level of income, you’ll likely need to have something more than the typical 9-to-5 job. Examples of people with monthly incomes in that range can include successful business owners, celebrities, athletes and online influencers or content creators. How Much Income Do You Need to Be in the Top 20%?
The real median household income in the U.S. is around $71,000, according to the latest Census Bureau data . In order to be in the top 20% of income, you’d need to earn nearly double that amount or an average of $130,545 per year.
That’s according to a SmartAsset study of income distributions in the 100 largest U.S. cities. The study found a wide range of income distributions geographically, with residents of San Francisco needing an income of $250,000 or more per year to land in the top 20%. Meanwhile, you’d need an income of $70,444 to be a top 20% earner in Detroit.
It’s important to remember that the definition of what it means to be rich is subjective. Someone who makes $250,000 a year, for example, could be considered rich if they’re saving and investing in order to accumulate wealth and live in an area with a low cost of living. Rich vs. Wealthy: What’s the Difference?
Being rich is one thing, but being wealthy can mean something entirely different. Someone who’s rich may have cash available to spend on luxury goods or take expensive vacations. A wealthy person, on the other hand, might be more focused on increasing their net worth and creating a long-lasting financial legacy.
So, what’s the cutoff to be considered wealthy? Again, it’s subjective and there are lots of different numbers that may be tossed around. Someone who has $1 million in liquid assets, for instance, is usually considered to be a high net worth (HNW) individual . You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may […]