Reflection time. Sorting out my 2013 taxes means I get to see, in hard numbers, all my income from the past year. All from being a "lawyer."
It looks like it totals just around $60k for the year (it was actually closer to $50k, see update below). I don't have it all in front of me as I really didn't plan on posting anything this morning. Instead, it just kinda occurred to me that it was time to check in on the 'ol Cruxy website as the day went on. If I'm way off, I'll correct the number later. It is likely very close to my total gross income for 2013. I had four different employers last year, three part time gigs and one that was kinda full time, but kinda varied on occasion. Basically, it was a shit show and totally unpredictable. Many of you reading this will know exactly what I'm talking about.
All in all, not too bad. Models and bottles, 24/7? Not hardly. But, I am covering my expenses, paying those things that must be paid, and generally just living my life. So, I've got that going for me. That's nice... (hat tip to Bill Murray).
I will have ticked off six months with my new employer in April, the "small firm" I mentioned back in November. I'll take a look at what I've billed, what I've been paid, what it looks like going forward, how many clients owe me money, etc., next month.
Yeah, people don't pay you in this business. Good times.
The gig seems OK so far. I get on with everyone well. The work is consistent, sometimes overwhelming, and challenging. I've actually turned down clients recently. I feel confident saying this the first stable job I've had since becoming a lawyer.
Honestly, I've meet some nice folks over the last year. About 15 - 20% are nice, honest, decent, and hardworking human beings. The remaining 80 - 85% are the bastards. Full stop.
Best of luck to all of you.
Update: I actually made about $50k in 2013, not the $60k I wrote above. That's a difference of about 16%, thus enough that I thought I should update the figures provided. Ouch.
How much do you owe in total student debt? An approximation will suffice. We don't want lemmings thinking "Gee, I make $30K now and it's dead end. I can be a lawyer and make double that amount" - without them taking their massive student loans into account.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay replying, Nando. I don't pay much attention to this site and did not know you had posted a comment.
ReplyDeleteThe debt in incurred in law school is very low, especially when compared to some of those young people I graduated with. Honestly, I believe it to be between $30 and $40k. I had invested monies I had saved up, including some that was a gift in the form of stock from a relative nearly twenty years ago. I had let it alone for almost two decades, and then spent it on law school. Yeah, I fucked that up. I cringe typing this years after the fact, but I pissed away a lot of money on law school. God damn, did I ever.
My wife is ten years out of law school. Her debt is in the $50k range, I believe. She does not often look at the total. She just fires off that fucking check every month.
Bottom line, my debt load, our debt load, is nothing like some of those folks out there. I spoke to a young woman last month who is practicing in the same legal community as I am, and she had $195k in student loans.
I honestly feel like an asshole complaining about anything after speaking with her. I may not have won the law school lottery, but I also did not lose it quite as badly as others.
Best of luck to all of you.