RE, you met my 'cousin' Todd when you were down here.  He has been working for Space-X in Redmond WA for a few years.  I called him the other day and asked if he was a millionaire yet.  Based on his response his 'options' are in that ball park.  That sounds about right.  I advised him to cash them out and explained that while some people have more money than I do, I am better positioned to survive a crash than someone with a million dollar portfolio. I do not do risk, but I still beat inflation.  Trading liquidity for a few percent but not trading significant risk.

I could do a You Tube channel about this and likely pick up a few thousand a year.  Doom investing, but unloading 18 wheeled trucks into a warehouse part time is way more badass.  And it pays enough with my best investment, Social Security, to leave my other investments alone.  The part time job is like having an extra half million invested at a decent interest rate.  Would an extra half million make me a millionaire?  I'm not going to say.

For those still in the game it appears that success in America now depends on how close you are to a billionaire.  Like the old song goes:

QuoteDon't you know about the new fashion, honey?  All ya need are looks and a whole lotta money.

Looks optional.  Forget making things, and providing services that people actually need.  Forget about trading time in honest labor for cash.  No,  America became a casino, and without the cheap drinks, and cheap food a casino should have.  And I am too old to gamble.

In America, if you are not extracting rent from somebody, you are nobody.  France was once this ugly.