Vent: Hit $50k in billable hours this year and it feels hollow

I finally crossed $50k in collections this month and thought I'd feel proud, but instead I'm just tired. After paying for my paralegal and office rent, I'm left with maybe $28k and I'm wondering if hanging my own shingle was worth the stress... Has anyone else hit a milestone like that and felt more drained than excited?

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xena_kim4mo ago

Is the $28k leftover after covering your overhead actually enough to live on in your area, or are you basically working for less than minimum wage when you factor in all the hours? Seems like the real gut punch is realizing your take-home pay doesn't match the number you're celebrating. What's the biggest single expense eating into your collections that you didn't expect when you started?

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diana_king4mo ago

For real. Health insurance is the one that got me. Expected like $300 a month, ended up closer to $800. That plus self employment tax just eats everything alive.

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