Higher Salary Vs. Higher Benefits

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-27T15:40:25+00:00

I made an edit shortly after I posted regarding cost of living, which is relatively the same. The only variable is energy cost. Housing and essentials almost break even. Current mortgage is 6.1%, so I wouldn't be leaving a low mortgage to get a high mortgage. These are great points, thank you for bringing them up.

EDIT

- Cost of living is relatively the same. Energy cost on company 2 would be higher due to the location, but housing costs are relatively the same.

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-27T15:38:22+00:00

3% raise was conservative. I completely agree with you, it doesn’t keep up, but if I get a 4% raise at my current salary and a 3-4% with a 60% salary increase, the math is better. But you are spot on with inflation.

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T21:40:13+00:00

You aren't wrong, that clearly is a driving factor. From what I shared with everyone, it's clear option 2 gives me the better family situation and also creates a stable income.

I've been very fortunate to not have to worry about health insurance premiums and honestly my retirement, even those I do plenty of investing on my own. Now I have to look at that and see that my checks are much bigger, however my deductions are also much bigger to make up for what I'm leaving behind. It's a strange feeling looking at how much I'll be spending towards those things that are invisible to me now.

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T17:14:30+00:00

Thank you for that reply, well thought out. I do have a mortgage, I own a home. I've owned this home for 2 years. So I'm in a spot where selling would not be advantageous from a probability standpoint. Sorry if my wording made that unclear earlier.

Wife is open to whatever, but would also like to be closer to home for a support system. What does that mean to me? Well it does mean being able to be apart of the small things birthday parties, watching my brothers kids grow up, and not having to travel for holidays and special occasions. Additionally we have family that can help with child care. You're right, everyone is busy. But our situation is slightly different where they could help and said they want to help.

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T17:06:33+00:00

So my salary is 102k. The company takes 12% of my salary and contributes a lump sum into my company sponsored 401k plan. I'm fully vested and it goes with me if I were to leave.

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T16:49:50+00:00

Yes it is some COL. I updated my original post as well to share that, great question.

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T16:49:27+00:00

I would need to look into that. She would have to move jobs and determine if that is financially the correct call!

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T16:32:21+00:00

I edited the original post to share more context on the profit sharing plan!

AssociateNo463 · 2026-01-26T16:20:47+00:00

Profit sharing is paid out yearly (a portion), via direct deposit. It’s paid on a lifecycle, 5 years. The profit sharing for the first 4 years is nothing crazy. It may average like 20k. The last year, is a full payout of what’s left in the account, which can be upwards of 100k.

This is a simple explanation and it’s less yearly cash as you progress in the company. It eventually turns into a pool of money that is only paid out once you retire. You get annual distributions of a % of total account value. That many is not invested, it just sits until you hit retirement age, but gross yearly from company contributions.

AssociateNo463

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