POLL: year-end pay increase

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amish

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
4,295
6
81
no raise or bonus. but i am starting a new job in public accounting at the begining of the year so i guess that is good.
 

ggnl

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2004
5,095
1
0
I got just under 5%, which is pretty good considering I had only been here about 8 months when I got it.
 

welst10

Platinum Member
Mar 2, 2004
2,562
1
0
Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: brtspears2
0% and no bonus. That's what happens when I work for the government.

oh yea and we around 10% bonus.

40% extraordinary income tax on bonuses is no fun either :(

You can get part of that tax back when you file return, right. I don't think IRS differentiate your regular income and your bonus, at least not in my case. I get a single W2 form.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
62,926
19,162
136
Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: brtspears2
0% and no bonus. That's what happens when I work for the government.

oh yea and we around 10% bonus.

40% extraordinary income tax on bonuses is no fun either :(

No crap. I got the smallest bonus ever from my company this year (integrating with another company so our bonus policy is being adjusted) and wanted to cry when I saw how much the government decided they were entitled to. Is there a good reason it's not just taxed at the regular rate?
 

BD231

Lifer
Feb 26, 2001
10,568
138
106
Last year I was making 800.78 dollars base pay every two weeks (after taxes), with the second week check including comission.

Last raise I got got me up to 849.78 base pay, and the commision on each loan I work on (I work at a mortgage company) went from 21 to 25 dollars even. There's rearely a month I close less than 90 loans and I'm ussually hitting the 150 to 180 mark so commision really makes me my cash.

800 to 850 is about 3% right?
 

jimikim

Banned
Nov 18, 2004
252
0
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Sh*t man, you can keep your 25% and I'll keep my 40 hours/week :)

LoL i just need to work my ass off for 5-8 more years and make senior manager so I can quit and get a comfy 40 hour a week job as a Controller or CFO.
 

Armitage

Banned
Feb 23, 2001
8,086
0
0
Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: jimikim
Historically at my level is 20%, but this year will probably be 25%.

Uhm ... wow.
What do you do?

I am a CPA-to-be working for a national Public Accounting company. Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley because of Enron and Worldcom so we have 30% more work which explains the extra 5%. Historically it's 20% because of the high turnover (people typically leave after 1-2 years); we have 65 hour weeks during peak season. There usually just is a shortage of accountants in general so wages are high to keep people there.

How long is peak season, and what's roughly the starting salary?
That could be some serious bank if you can stick it out a few years, unless they start you out with sh|t.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: richardycc
keep in mind that cost of living is at ~4.6%, if your raise is less than that, you are actually getting a paycut!
The cost of living is going up 4.6%/year?

Wow.
 

DT4K

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2002
6,944
3
81
Originally posted by: jimikim
lol jealous of 65 work week or 25% salary increase?

Some of us have the 65 hour work weeks during crunch times without the 25% salary increase.

Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: brtspears2
0% and no bonus. That's what happens when I work for the government.

oh yea and we around 10% bonus.

40% extraordinary income tax on bonuses is no fun either :(

Seems like an odd statement from an accountant. Sure, the bonuses get taxed at the supplemental rate when you get your check, but at the end of the year, it all just counts as normal income, so you get part of that back when you file your taxes. At least, that's how my bonuses are taxed.

We have our annual reviews in Jan or Feb and get our raises in like April or May I think. Last 2 years, it's been around 4-5%. Not bad considering the job market for sw devs.
 

jimikim

Banned
Nov 18, 2004
252
0
0
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: jimikim
Historically at my level is 20%, but this year will probably be 25%.

Uhm ... wow.
What do you do?

I am a CPA-to-be working for a national Public Accounting company. Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley because of Enron and Worldcom so we have 30% more work which explains the extra 5%. Historically it's 20% because of the high turnover (people typically leave after 1-2 years); we have 65 hour weeks during peak season. There usually just is a shortage of accountants in general so wages are high to keep people there.

How long is peak season, and what's roughly the starting salary?
That could be some serious bank if you can stick it out a few years, unless they start you out with sh|t.

First year after college range (depending on your city) is $45k (Los Angeles) to $55k (San Francisco, New York). "Busy Season" used to be January to May, but now it starts in October. This year we are short staffed so we are expecting 80 hour workweeks starting January. Not to mention Inventory audits at odd hours during the holidays (if you are unlucky).

After 5 years it's about $100k if you make manager.

I'm telling you though, not many people make it. Of the 12 people in my Senior's starting class, only 2 remain after 4 years, not because of lay-offs, but because they go to non-public accounting positions.
 

jimikim

Banned
Nov 18, 2004
252
0
0
Originally posted by: DT4K
Originally posted by: jimikim
lol jealous of 65 work week or 25% salary increase?

Some of us have the 65 hour work weeks during crunch times without the 25% salary increase.

Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: brtspears2
0% and no bonus. That's what happens when I work for the government.

oh yea and we around 10% bonus.

40% extraordinary income tax on bonuses is no fun either :(

Seems like an odd statement from an accountant. Sure, the bonuses get taxed at the supplemental rate when you get your check, but at the end of the year, it all just counts as normal income, so you get part of that back when you file your taxes. At least, that's how my bonuses are taxed.

We have our annual reviews in Jan or Feb and get our raises in like April or May I think. Last 2 years, it's been around 4-5%. Not bad considering the job market for sw devs.

I am not a tax accountant, and this is my first job after college, so I have yet to file a tax return yet.
 

DT4K

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2002
6,944
3
81
Originally posted by: jimikim
I am not a tax accountant, and this is my first job after college, so I have yet to file a tax return yet.

Oh, ok. AFAIK, bonuses are treated just like regular wages. So you will get hit with the 40% or whatever supplemental rate when you get the check, but when you file your taxes, it should just count as regular income so you should get some of that money back.

A friend of mine is an accountant. He started about 4 or 5 years ago in the bay area making about 40k. Now he's making around 100k in the Los Angeles area and hasn't passed the CPA yet. He's not a manager, but he's living with one and just had a kid with her.;)
 

jimikim

Banned
Nov 18, 2004
252
0
0
Originally posted by: DT4K
Originally posted by: jimikim
I am not a tax accountant, and this is my first job after college, so I have yet to file a tax return yet.

Oh, ok. AFAIK, bonuses are treated just like regular wages. So you will get hit with the 40% or whatever supplemental rate when you get the check, but when you file your taxes, it should just count as regular income so you should get some of that money back.

A friend of mine is an accountant. He started about 4 or 5 years ago in the bay area making about 40k. Now he's making around 100k in the Los Angeles area and hasn't passed the CPA yet. He's not a manager, but he's living with one and just had a kid with her.;)

Wow nice. Do you mind my asking which firm?
 

CChaos

Golden Member
Mar 4, 2003
1,586
0
0
I don't find out until next month, but I got 12.5% this year. I don't expect anything close to that this year, but it would be damn welcome.
 

Feldenak

Lifer
Jan 31, 2003
14,090
2
81
The last change in pay I had was a $6k paycut. Still working at the same job and haven't seen anything in the way of raises or COLAs in nearly 3 years. If I'm really lucky, I might get a $100 "bonus" on my paycheck this week for Christmas.
 

tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
1
0
~4.03% + a Christmas bonus which (if it's the same as last year) will bump me up to 13% over standard salary. I busted my a$$ all year just to get the same raise everyone else gets. :|
 

marcello

Golden Member
Aug 30, 2004
1,141
0
0
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: jimikim
Historically at my level is 20%, but this year will probably be 25%.

Uhm ... wow.
What do you do?

I am a CPA-to-be working for a national Public Accounting company. Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley because of Enron and Worldcom so we have 30% more work which explains the extra 5%. Historically it's 20% because of the high turnover (people typically leave after 1-2 years); we have 65 hour weeks during peak season. There usually just is a shortage of accountants in general so wages are high to keep people there.
Nice. I am jealous.

Don't be, being a CPA sucks.


Originally posted by: Beattie
Originally posted by: richardycc
keep in mind that cost of living is at ~4.6%, if your raise is less than that, you are actually getting a paycut!

WRONGE!

Something else is wrong...
 

jimikim

Banned
Nov 18, 2004
252
0
0
Originally posted by: marcello
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Originally posted by: jimikim
Originally posted by: Armitage
Originally posted by: jimikim
Historically at my level is 20%, but this year will probably be 25%.

Uhm ... wow.
What do you do?

I am a CPA-to-be working for a national Public Accounting company. Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley because of Enron and Worldcom so we have 30% more work which explains the extra 5%. Historically it's 20% because of the high turnover (people typically leave after 1-2 years); we have 65 hour weeks during peak season. There usually just is a shortage of accountants in general so wages are high to keep people there.
Nice. I am jealous.

Don't be, being a CPA sucks.


Originally posted by: Beattie
Originally posted by: richardycc
keep in mind that cost of living is at ~4.6%, if your raise is less than that, you are actually getting a paycut!

WRONGE!

Something else is wrong...

Yes, it does. Yet the money keeps us deep in sh!t.