I am a software engineer. When I started working in 1985 I had nothing but $10,000 in student loan debt and a used Toyota Tercel my mother gave me as a college-graduation gift.
I have gotten lucky and made money on stock at two start-ups; when George W. Bush took office, my net worth exceeded $10 million. That had shrunk to about $4 million when he left, roughly where it stands today.
I own two homes. I drive a Porsche 911. My family has excellent health insurance. I have given each of my three children enough money to get through college debt-free. My wife (of 25 years) has never had to work.
I own 4 two-bedroom apartments and 4 three-bedroom townhouses that I rent out. I have a mortgage on one of my homes for the tax deduction, the other properties I own free-and-clear. I have no debt beyond the one mortgage.
I still work as an engineer, earning $140,000 per year.
All told, in 2010 I made $200,621 in salary, interest, dividends, and rent.
My federal income tax on this money was $2,196.
Strangely, even with all this, I am the 99%. To qualify for the 1% I would need to have made 70% more than I did. I’m not even close.
occupywallst.org
(via youngmanhattanite)
