When was the first time your 401k made more than you did?
How far in were you? 14 years for me.
I was looking at my 401k marveling over the fact that it has smoked me in earnings this year making ~$410k YTD. I wondered when this first happened.
My base salary is ~$135k currently. I started my 401k in 2005.
In 2018 I was negative. Down $53k that calendar year. The first year it made more than me was 2019, so 14 years in. That year it started at $583k and made $166k. It ended the year at $785k.
In 2020 it did it again, gaining $192k and it was the year my 401k broke a $1M. 2021 too, making $189k.
2022 humbled me losing $321k and dipping my total back down under $1M ($947k).
2023 I gained most of 2022 back, up $311k.
2024 I was up $393k
2025 I was up $325k
So certainly thanks to the bull run of the century, my money on average has made more than me per year since 14 years in and for the last almost 8 years.
TLDR: 14 years in my money has been making more than I do. How long did it take you?