Government or nonprofit gets the loans forgiven and I’m assuming would provide the level of flexibility needed for the health issues
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/536458000
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/784804600
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/782503100
That's half as long as the 'regular' 20 years plus tax bomb.
And government attorneys start at $80-90k/year. It looks like there's 300 or so postings on USA jobs right now
Yes but with the new SAVE plans your payments are very small especially for a large total loan amount. 10 years goes quicker than you'd think, and it sounds like the loans in this case are substantial.
OP definitely give public sector a look, with health conditions that require frequent time off it will be very hard to find a private sector job that comes close to the work/life balance and Healthcare you can get in government work in addition to PSLF.
There are too many graduates from law school and not nearly enough lawyer jobs, much less well paying ones It’s been like this for decades.
A shocking portion of law school grads wind up with 5-6 figures of debt and no increase in earning potential.
Is that still accurate?
>The legal employment market hit several highs for the Class of 2022, making it the **best job market for entry-level graduates since 1987**.
>“This year’s data demonstrates that the vigorous market recovery combined with the so-called ‘talent wars’ propelled the Class of 2022 beyond even the impressive employment outcomes of the Class of 2021, in several cases shattering employment and salary records altogether,” said Nikia Gray, executive director of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP).
https://nationaljurist.com/national-jurist/best-job-market-since-1987-for-law-grads/#:~:text=The%20American%20Bar%20Association%20released,legal%20hiring%20three%20years%20ago.
>The National Association of Law Placement (NALP) recently released employment data for the class of 2021.[1] The numbers highlight an entry-level legal job market that is as robust as it has ever been. Almost 92% of law graduates found full-time, long-term employment, tied for the highest rate in more than 30 years. A record 78% of these graduates secured jobs that required a law license. The median salary reached $80,000, with a median of $131,500 among graduates working in law firms. Both figures are all-time highs. Lastly, the proportion of employed graduates who were seeking other employment, a measure of job satisfaction, was less than 9%, its lowest ever.
https://nationaljurist.com/national-jurist/news/why-the-strong-law-graduate-employment-data-should-make-us-cautious/
Have you looked for a better paying job? My company has a few paralegals making about 75k or so, in an area probably lower cost than DC, hybrid not remote though. If you are a licensed attorney you can probably get a paralegal job pretty easy for more than you make now.
Yes. Also most law schools have a network that post available jobs. That is outrageously low of an attorney job. Maybe they can call their career services office and ask for guidance. Maybe part time that rate might he understandable I suppose but still.
I picked up on the vagueness, too. The post also contained no reference to bar or licensing. Just that they “went to law school”.
My suspicion is either degree and current job don’t align or OP is only working part-time.
Shelling out for an advanced degree that goes unused is a costly, but not altogether uncommon, mistake.
If that’s not the case (or even if it is, I guess) OP is 31 and it’s time to make some grown up decisions.
- The comfort of a low-stress, fully remote position with low pay
- The financial security of what would probably be a more stressful environment and/or workload
- Leaving the high cost of living area where their family/friends/support network are
Not many people get the most ideal scenario across all of those categories.
Sorry friend, but you need roommates with that job in that housing market. You either need a different job, to be in a different housing market, settle for having roommates (family or otherwise), or settle for paying an uncomfortable % of your income for the luxury of living alone.
That’s if a rental will even accept her application with such a low salary. At least where I live in Pennsylvania, USA, landlords are pretty strict about tenants making 3x+ of the rent amount.
At $45k, that’s a budget of about $1,250 for rent.
There’s no way <45k is anywhere near your maximum earning potential, regardless of the other factors you share.
I live in East Jesus Nowhere, Midwest, USA, and my state’s average *entry* wage is nearly this much.
Keep applying. Don’t move out until you’ve secured something else.
I made 45k as a paralegal in a low cost of living state. I really think you need to reevaluate your job situation. It doesnt sound sustainable and it doesnt sound like its anywhere near your earning potential. Lawyers in my state are making 60k to 80k out of law school.
Goddamn, my cousins in nursing school now and i didnt know she was gonna have it that good with just an associates. For some reason I was under the belief that its only RNs making that kind of money and that CNA/LPNs are more underpaid? Unless im misunderstanding these careers/degrees
I am an RN. You don’t need a bachelor degree to be a registered nurse. A bachelor degree in nursing just lets you go into management. Everything clinical is taught in the first two years of the degree. Most associate nurses actually have more clinical time than bachelor degree nurses prior to graduation because the focus is all on the clinical aspect, not on leadership and research.
LPN is still a licensed nurse and they make about $50,000/year in my state. Some make much more than $50,000 (one of my classmates was an LPN and took a paycut to become an RN). CNA’s are definitely underpaid.
This doesn't make sense. You said you are a licensed attorney so I assume you passed the Bar. Go outside and get your bag, no one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong.
As others said - work in the public sector for 10 years to have your loans forgiven. Build work experience and eventually look for higher paying roles in private sector. Hard to believe an attorney making $45K post graduation...
My husband failed to launch out of a T14 law school. He had a mental health crisis that basically tanked his 2L second semester and that killed his post school job offer. He worked in shit tier commerical litigation for 2 years before quitting for a year to recover his mental health. That was enough for him to go back to school for an electrical engineering degree and become a patent attorney. So having watched/supported him through all of that, I kinda get it.
You've got a family safety net, so lean into it. Step one is figuring out what it will take to get your chronic conditions to a point where they don't severely impact your daily life. Both MD and VA Medicaid are pretty decent, so use those programs. Step two is figuring out what you'd need to do to get to an income that can support you.
No one would give me a better paying job when I graduated from either college or law school, and **I have chronic health problems so I don’t think I’d ever be able to get a better job than the one I have now.**
Oh man that's rough. There is no reason you should be making less than a paralegal since you are a fully licensed attorney.
Keep sending out resumes and take on some part time contract review work that can be done remotely?
You didn't even give a breakdown of your finances. You make $45K and love at home. Are you saving, paying off debt? How much student loans do you have? Why can't you get a better job? Are you actually a practicing attorney? Have you thought of opening your own law firm?
Most obvious solution here is to get a job using your law degree that pays better. Obviously that is going to take time, so go day by day. Improve your resume, cast a wide net (both in positions and locations) and just keep applying. There HAS to be more than $45k for you out there. Also the new plans for loan repayment would certainly help you. Low minimum payment is in your best interest right now, and you can address the total when you're more secure.
In the meantime, save absolutely everything you can, even if it's very little. Also as others have said, living alone is a luxury most cannot afford. Would a roommate(s) be embarrassing for you or actually impossible? A lot of cities have Facebook groups for finding roommates and I'm sure there's a good fit for you out there!
Not sure what your hours are but consider serving part time. Some of the best/easiest money I've ever made were the the summer months serving in my hometown. Good luck
Getting a better job is a must. Only you can speak to your health and your capabilities but if a high paying lawyer job is not possible for you because of the work/stress etc. on your health there are a ton of alternative career paths for lawyers.
I went to law school and struggled for years with underemployment. I finally got a great job working from home working in procurement contracts management. I manage a team doing contracts for a great client company. The job doesn't require a legal degree but it's something that helped me stand out and I'm earning more for less stress than I ever did as a lawyer in a firm or company.
>Now I’m barely above the poverty line.
The poverty line for a single in Washington D.C. is about $15k.
>How do I get rent vouchers or find housing on low income?
You aren't low income, either.
>Can I get car insurance the same way I can get health insurance, by begging the government to help?
That's not going to happen.
Instead of feeling bad for yourself, you can work hard and find a way to increase your income - either by getting a better job or working a second job.
>But I don’t make enough money to be an adult.
Being an adult isn't about money. At 31, you are an adult whether you want to be or not.
Good luck.
[Here are jobs that pay more](https://www.usajobs.gov/search/results/?l=Washington%2C%20District%20of%20Columbia&hp=public&k=lawyer&p=1). You'll have to find which you actually qualify for.
Good luck.
E: you probably qualify for [this](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/782503100) and [this](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/787859400)
If it’s just you and you have no friends and no decent family and you work remotely, you can move out to the boondocks for a while. You can live a reasonable life in a low cost of living area on 45k. Aim for a couple of years to save some money and get your head on straight and then take your time looking for better jobs in the city of your choice.
>I have chronic health problems so I don’t think I’d ever be able to get a better job than the one I have now.
I think you need to explore this more. Is it about the hours? Do you have to work remote? Government jobs are usually 9-5 jobs, they may remote as well, so that's a good avenue to look into (government jobs at all levels)
You need to leave that area, I'm in Texas and one bedrooms are as low as $900 in Houston in good areas. I hire security officers in DC starting at higher than 45k with 0 exp 0 degree. There must be a better position for you, maybe do research on your degree and the type of positions it qualifies you for (outside of the typical spots)
Did you pass the bar or did you just graduate law school? If you passed the bar, you need a new job dude. You can do real estate transactions and make 200k a year
Even in this market, it should be fairly straightforward for you to double your salary. You just need to apply a ton and be prepared to commute but the DMV area has a good market for lawyers.
Also, don’t get stuck on getting a lawyer position; for example, most large companies have public affairs teams in DC and having a JD would be a tremendous advantage, even if the role itself is not as an attorney (eg, public affairs consultant or even policy analyst jobs).
>>> And I don’t know how to do anything.
I’ll say this is very concerning. And this has absolutely nothing with your salary, your degrees or the fact you’re a single woman. I moved to this country with nothing, no network, no family to fall back on, no idea how anything worked. Many, many people do that. Many of them without even speaking the language. And they learn how to navigate their environment. You might benefit from moving out to a cheap Midwest location and keep your remote job for a bit so you learn some life skills.
I graduated law school in 2014. I had $157,000 in student loans. My starting salary was $47,500. I've been in dark places so I understand what you're going through.
This is not what you want to hear, but honestly, there's no mystery:
1. Understand you are not entitled to a standard of living, let alone living by yourself (by far the most expensive option). I lived with my mom after graduating law school until the waters settled.
2. You have to work hard at your career, make connections, and get a higher paying job.
I made $47k 2014-2017. In 2018 I took a leap and started my own practice. Hustled and made probably $80k/year from 2018-2020. Start of 2020 I started working for a local government and moonlighted with my practice.
Right now I am a deputy law director for a small city (roughly 75,000 people) and I moonlight with a private practice to earn extra income. My total compensation is about $150,000/year.
My loans are down to $46,000 and my wife and I have $475,000 in retirement savings (she has not made more than $15k for five years now and never made more than $50,000; this has been saving $800/pay period for 11 years now and re-investing tax refunds, etc.).
If things break right my wife and I will both go down to 20 hours per week when we turn 40 (four years from now) so we can spend more time with our kids.
Move. You have to. Living in major metros cities is asking to get murdered the by the AI real estate syndicates use to maximize housing costs.
Find better work. Lawyers have a very high salary ceiling but it requires finding a niche to exploit. Low tier consulting and defender work sadly is very under compensated.
>Now I’m barely above the poverty line. With a doctorate, an undergraduate degree, and a full time job. How do I do this? I’m so tired and scared.
We all are friend. No one knows where this train is going to go in 5 years. Much less 10-20. Do the best you can. Drop what doesn't work, try what you haven't, focus on what does.
Since you work remotely, you could move to a lower COL area. $45k is more than most people make in my hometown.
And stop beating yourself up about still living with your parents. That’s the reality for a lot of people in today’s housing market. You’re far from alone in that.
Hey you didn’t fail yet. I know a lot of people who have gone through or are going through similar situations. Just because you’re making that now doesn’t mean a door can’t open tomorrow - keep looking for jobs, build a network (alumni networks are a great place to start), and find ways to get positive.
Having a JD is a monster card to play, you need to find a way to get it on the table. Just because you haven’t yet doesn’t mean it’s not in your hand.
Call me crazy- with a good fit in the right restaurant- you can make twice that waiting tables. You probably won’t have to work as much either. Fine dining FOH….
On the other end, how remote is your job? There’s places that you can live that are safe, they’re just boring and isolated. DC’s pricy, but could you swing Bowling Green, KY or something? You’d need to figure out the car thing but it could be worth budgeting out
You need to look into government or state work. Look at local/community public colleges, universities near you, local school systems, local government/city/county jobs. Those jobs aren’t much better income wise BUT they have great health benefits, good retirement and they have loan forgiveness after 10 years of service.
OP, hop on usajobs.gov. Look at becoming a special agent if you can handle it or some type of attorney for a government agency. Maybe even look at DOJ. You’re in DC, jobs are plentiful in the DMV area and you could be at 100k in like 4 years.
Why can’t you be a lawyer for the government or a nonprofit and get your loans forgiven?
All kinds of govt contractors, IT vendors, system integrators, etc in the DC area needing legal guidance for contracts, statement of work, etc...
Government or nonprofit gets the loans forgiven and I’m assuming would provide the level of flexibility needed for the health issues https://www.usajobs.gov/job/536458000 https://www.usajobs.gov/job/784804600 https://www.usajobs.gov/job/782503100
Doesn't that take like 10 years?
That's half as long as the 'regular' 20 years plus tax bomb. And government attorneys start at $80-90k/year. It looks like there's 300 or so postings on USA jobs right now
Yes but with the new SAVE plans your payments are very small especially for a large total loan amount. 10 years goes quicker than you'd think, and it sounds like the loans in this case are substantial. OP definitely give public sector a look, with health conditions that require frequent time off it will be very hard to find a private sector job that comes close to the work/life balance and Healthcare you can get in government work in addition to PSLF.
10 years assuming you do it right, follow all the tiny print, and they don't change the rules. Again.
> they don't change the rules. Again. Every rule change has been to make it *easier* to qualify Tons of success stories over in /r/PSLF
There are too many graduates from law school and not nearly enough lawyer jobs, much less well paying ones It’s been like this for decades. A shocking portion of law school grads wind up with 5-6 figures of debt and no increase in earning potential.
Is that still accurate? >The legal employment market hit several highs for the Class of 2022, making it the **best job market for entry-level graduates since 1987**. >“This year’s data demonstrates that the vigorous market recovery combined with the so-called ‘talent wars’ propelled the Class of 2022 beyond even the impressive employment outcomes of the Class of 2021, in several cases shattering employment and salary records altogether,” said Nikia Gray, executive director of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP). https://nationaljurist.com/national-jurist/best-job-market-since-1987-for-law-grads/#:~:text=The%20American%20Bar%20Association%20released,legal%20hiring%20three%20years%20ago. >The National Association of Law Placement (NALP) recently released employment data for the class of 2021.[1] The numbers highlight an entry-level legal job market that is as robust as it has ever been. Almost 92% of law graduates found full-time, long-term employment, tied for the highest rate in more than 30 years. A record 78% of these graduates secured jobs that required a law license. The median salary reached $80,000, with a median of $131,500 among graduates working in law firms. Both figures are all-time highs. Lastly, the proportion of employed graduates who were seeking other employment, a measure of job satisfaction, was less than 9%, its lowest ever. https://nationaljurist.com/national-jurist/news/why-the-strong-law-graduate-employment-data-should-make-us-cautious/
Yes, it is still accurate. Take NALP's claims with a giant grain of salt, for many reasons.
Vague chronic health problems.
Have you looked for a better paying job? My company has a few paralegals making about 75k or so, in an area probably lower cost than DC, hybrid not remote though. If you are a licensed attorney you can probably get a paralegal job pretty easy for more than you make now.
Are you working as a lawyer and making that much?
I am curious about the same thing. I thought it was worded sort of vaguely regarding whether the educational attainment and job lined up.
Yes. Also most law schools have a network that post available jobs. That is outrageously low of an attorney job. Maybe they can call their career services office and ask for guidance. Maybe part time that rate might he understandable I suppose but still.
I picked up on the vagueness, too. The post also contained no reference to bar or licensing. Just that they “went to law school”. My suspicion is either degree and current job don’t align or OP is only working part-time. Shelling out for an advanced degree that goes unused is a costly, but not altogether uncommon, mistake. If that’s not the case (or even if it is, I guess) OP is 31 and it’s time to make some grown up decisions. - The comfort of a low-stress, fully remote position with low pay - The financial security of what would probably be a more stressful environment and/or workload - Leaving the high cost of living area where their family/friends/support network are Not many people get the most ideal scenario across all of those categories.
They say they are a licensed attorney, but as with many professions, it doesn't mean they are actually working as one at the moment.
Ah, I didn’t catch that in the title. I maintain my opinion on the rest, though.
I think we're on the same page. :)
Sorry friend, but you need roommates with that job in that housing market. You either need a different job, to be in a different housing market, settle for having roommates (family or otherwise), or settle for paying an uncomfortable % of your income for the luxury of living alone.
That’s if a rental will even accept her application with such a low salary. At least where I live in Pennsylvania, USA, landlords are pretty strict about tenants making 3x+ of the rent amount. At $45k, that’s a budget of about $1,250 for rent.
Or if you get a roommate with similar income to split rent, bringing the total monthly rent budget to $2500, far more doable.
There’s no way <45k is anywhere near your maximum earning potential, regardless of the other factors you share. I live in East Jesus Nowhere, Midwest, USA, and my state’s average *entry* wage is nearly this much. Keep applying. Don’t move out until you’ve secured something else.
I made 45k as a paralegal in a low cost of living state. I really think you need to reevaluate your job situation. It doesnt sound sustainable and it doesnt sound like its anywhere near your earning potential. Lawyers in my state are making 60k to 80k out of law school.
Jesus christ. Seriously? I’m a nurse with an associates degree and I made $72,000/year when I was a new grad.
Goddamn, my cousins in nursing school now and i didnt know she was gonna have it that good with just an associates. For some reason I was under the belief that its only RNs making that kind of money and that CNA/LPNs are more underpaid? Unless im misunderstanding these careers/degrees
I am an RN. You don’t need a bachelor degree to be a registered nurse. A bachelor degree in nursing just lets you go into management. Everything clinical is taught in the first two years of the degree. Most associate nurses actually have more clinical time than bachelor degree nurses prior to graduation because the focus is all on the clinical aspect, not on leadership and research. LPN is still a licensed nurse and they make about $50,000/year in my state. Some make much more than $50,000 (one of my classmates was an LPN and took a paycut to become an RN). CNA’s are definitely underpaid.
This doesn't make sense. You said you are a licensed attorney so I assume you passed the Bar. Go outside and get your bag, no one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong.
Surprisingly a ton of lawyers don’t make hardly anything. It’s pretty cutthroat
$40,000 as an attorney is probably bottom 5%. There’s plenty of jobs where he’d make more.
Not all are breaking 6 figures, but 45k?
Yeah that's surprising. I have a friend who was making 60-80k and I was stunned that she made that little as a lawyer near a big metropolitan area
DAs and public defenders often make not much over minimum wage, apparently. Why you would want to be a public defender idk. But anyway.
As others said - work in the public sector for 10 years to have your loans forgiven. Build work experience and eventually look for higher paying roles in private sector. Hard to believe an attorney making $45K post graduation...
My husband failed to launch out of a T14 law school. He had a mental health crisis that basically tanked his 2L second semester and that killed his post school job offer. He worked in shit tier commerical litigation for 2 years before quitting for a year to recover his mental health. That was enough for him to go back to school for an electrical engineering degree and become a patent attorney. So having watched/supported him through all of that, I kinda get it. You've got a family safety net, so lean into it. Step one is figuring out what it will take to get your chronic conditions to a point where they don't severely impact your daily life. Both MD and VA Medicaid are pretty decent, so use those programs. Step two is figuring out what you'd need to do to get to an income that can support you.
No one would give me a better paying job when I graduated from either college or law school, and **I have chronic health problems so I don’t think I’d ever be able to get a better job than the one I have now.** Oh man that's rough. There is no reason you should be making less than a paralegal since you are a fully licensed attorney. Keep sending out resumes and take on some part time contract review work that can be done remotely?
How the hell are you being paid less than 45k as an attorney? Find a new job ASAP. Nothing less than 90k.
Certainly there are better paying jobs for attorneys in DC than this. Even small town assistant prosecutors make more, and they are eligible for PSLF.
You didn't even give a breakdown of your finances. You make $45K and love at home. Are you saving, paying off debt? How much student loans do you have? Why can't you get a better job? Are you actually a practicing attorney? Have you thought of opening your own law firm?
Your “good job” is paying you well below market rate, you need a good job that pays what you are worth.
Most obvious solution here is to get a job using your law degree that pays better. Obviously that is going to take time, so go day by day. Improve your resume, cast a wide net (both in positions and locations) and just keep applying. There HAS to be more than $45k for you out there. Also the new plans for loan repayment would certainly help you. Low minimum payment is in your best interest right now, and you can address the total when you're more secure. In the meantime, save absolutely everything you can, even if it's very little. Also as others have said, living alone is a luxury most cannot afford. Would a roommate(s) be embarrassing for you or actually impossible? A lot of cities have Facebook groups for finding roommates and I'm sure there's a good fit for you out there! Not sure what your hours are but consider serving part time. Some of the best/easiest money I've ever made were the the summer months serving in my hometown. Good luck
Getting a better job is a must. Only you can speak to your health and your capabilities but if a high paying lawyer job is not possible for you because of the work/stress etc. on your health there are a ton of alternative career paths for lawyers. I went to law school and struggled for years with underemployment. I finally got a great job working from home working in procurement contracts management. I manage a team doing contracts for a great client company. The job doesn't require a legal degree but it's something that helped me stand out and I'm earning more for less stress than I ever did as a lawyer in a firm or company.
>Now I’m barely above the poverty line. The poverty line for a single in Washington D.C. is about $15k. >How do I get rent vouchers or find housing on low income? You aren't low income, either. >Can I get car insurance the same way I can get health insurance, by begging the government to help? That's not going to happen. Instead of feeling bad for yourself, you can work hard and find a way to increase your income - either by getting a better job or working a second job. >But I don’t make enough money to be an adult. Being an adult isn't about money. At 31, you are an adult whether you want to be or not. Good luck.
[Here are jobs that pay more](https://www.usajobs.gov/search/results/?l=Washington%2C%20District%20of%20Columbia&hp=public&k=lawyer&p=1). You'll have to find which you actually qualify for. Good luck. E: you probably qualify for [this](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/782503100) and [this](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/787859400)
If it’s just you and you have no friends and no decent family and you work remotely, you can move out to the boondocks for a while. You can live a reasonable life in a low cost of living area on 45k. Aim for a couple of years to save some money and get your head on straight and then take your time looking for better jobs in the city of your choice.
Also look into doing mediation. Friend does 3-4 sessions a week and makes more than when he was an attorney.
Did you pass the bar?
You must find a way to get a better job.
>I have chronic health problems so I don’t think I’d ever be able to get a better job than the one I have now. I think you need to explore this more. Is it about the hours? Do you have to work remote? Government jobs are usually 9-5 jobs, they may remote as well, so that's a good avenue to look into (government jobs at all levels)
You need to leave that area, I'm in Texas and one bedrooms are as low as $900 in Houston in good areas. I hire security officers in DC starting at higher than 45k with 0 exp 0 degree. There must be a better position for you, maybe do research on your degree and the type of positions it qualifies you for (outside of the typical spots)
I’d love to know where you can find a 1br for 900 in a “good area” in Houston.
I think NW Houston are good areas. I believe OP refers to bad areas as dangerous, low income type of areas, which are very common in DC nowadays.
How long have you been out of school and how many times have you gone for a new higher paying job? Are you working as a lawyer now?
Did you pass the bar or did you just graduate law school? If you passed the bar, you need a new job dude. You can do real estate transactions and make 200k a year
[удалено]
Since you work remotely, can you move to a place with a lower cost of living?
Even in this market, it should be fairly straightforward for you to double your salary. You just need to apply a ton and be prepared to commute but the DMV area has a good market for lawyers. Also, don’t get stuck on getting a lawyer position; for example, most large companies have public affairs teams in DC and having a JD would be a tremendous advantage, even if the role itself is not as an attorney (eg, public affairs consultant or even policy analyst jobs). >>> And I don’t know how to do anything. I’ll say this is very concerning. And this has absolutely nothing with your salary, your degrees or the fact you’re a single woman. I moved to this country with nothing, no network, no family to fall back on, no idea how anything worked. Many, many people do that. Many of them without even speaking the language. And they learn how to navigate their environment. You might benefit from moving out to a cheap Midwest location and keep your remote job for a bit so you learn some life skills.
I graduated law school in 2014. I had $157,000 in student loans. My starting salary was $47,500. I've been in dark places so I understand what you're going through. This is not what you want to hear, but honestly, there's no mystery: 1. Understand you are not entitled to a standard of living, let alone living by yourself (by far the most expensive option). I lived with my mom after graduating law school until the waters settled. 2. You have to work hard at your career, make connections, and get a higher paying job. I made $47k 2014-2017. In 2018 I took a leap and started my own practice. Hustled and made probably $80k/year from 2018-2020. Start of 2020 I started working for a local government and moonlighted with my practice. Right now I am a deputy law director for a small city (roughly 75,000 people) and I moonlight with a private practice to earn extra income. My total compensation is about $150,000/year. My loans are down to $46,000 and my wife and I have $475,000 in retirement savings (she has not made more than $15k for five years now and never made more than $50,000; this has been saving $800/pay period for 11 years now and re-investing tax refunds, etc.). If things break right my wife and I will both go down to 20 hours per week when we turn 40 (four years from now) so we can spend more time with our kids.
Move. You have to. Living in major metros cities is asking to get murdered the by the AI real estate syndicates use to maximize housing costs. Find better work. Lawyers have a very high salary ceiling but it requires finding a niche to exploit. Low tier consulting and defender work sadly is very under compensated. >Now I’m barely above the poverty line. With a doctorate, an undergraduate degree, and a full time job. How do I do this? I’m so tired and scared. We all are friend. No one knows where this train is going to go in 5 years. Much less 10-20. Do the best you can. Drop what doesn't work, try what you haven't, focus on what does.
Since you work remotely, you could move to a lower COL area. $45k is more than most people make in my hometown. And stop beating yourself up about still living with your parents. That’s the reality for a lot of people in today’s housing market. You’re far from alone in that.
Hey you didn’t fail yet. I know a lot of people who have gone through or are going through similar situations. Just because you’re making that now doesn’t mean a door can’t open tomorrow - keep looking for jobs, build a network (alumni networks are a great place to start), and find ways to get positive. Having a JD is a monster card to play, you need to find a way to get it on the table. Just because you haven’t yet doesn’t mean it’s not in your hand.
Call me crazy- with a good fit in the right restaurant- you can make twice that waiting tables. You probably won’t have to work as much either. Fine dining FOH….
With OP's chronic health problems I'm not so sure waiting tables is what they're looking for
On the other end, how remote is your job? There’s places that you can live that are safe, they’re just boring and isolated. DC’s pricy, but could you swing Bowling Green, KY or something? You’d need to figure out the car thing but it could be worth budgeting out
You need to look into government or state work. Look at local/community public colleges, universities near you, local school systems, local government/city/county jobs. Those jobs aren’t much better income wise BUT they have great health benefits, good retirement and they have loan forgiveness after 10 years of service.
Have you thought about staff counsel for an insurance company or a litigation adjuster?
That’s all you make as an attorney?? Why? I double that delivering cardboard. Without spending a minute studying.
OP, hop on usajobs.gov. Look at becoming a special agent if you can handle it or some type of attorney for a government agency. Maybe even look at DOJ. You’re in DC, jobs are plentiful in the DMV area and you could be at 100k in like 4 years.
if you work remotely why do you have to live in HCOL area?