Raise? What raise?

New research dropped this week on something called the "mid-career stall," and I think it explains a lot of what I hear from people who feel financially stuck despite doing everything they were supposed to do.

Good job, steady income, contributing to their 401(k)… and still feeling like they're falling behind. This week we’re diving deep into it.

💌 Do you feel like your current job is setting you up financially for the next five years? Happy to chat about it!

P.S. If you want to talk through your own finances, you can book a free 1-hour coaching session here ☎️

(Actual answer at the end of the newsletter 👇)

A 25-year study of 1.3 million workers found that nearly 1 in 4 white-collar employees has gone at least five years without a promotion or a meaningful raise. Researchers are calling it the "mid-career stall"… and it has less to do with individual performance than most people assume.

Companies have stripped out middle management layers over the past decade, which means there are simply fewer positions to move into, regardless of how well you're doing your job.

What that means financially: five years of flat income is five years of compounding you didn't get. Future raises are usually calculated as a percentage of your current salary, so the longer your pay stays flat, the harder it is to catch up.

Here's what to do if you want to scale up:

👉 Get a market number. Look up what your role actually pays right now on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Levels.fyi. If you're underpaid relative to market, you have a real case to make and a number to point to.

👉 Document your wins now. Before any review or negotiation, write down what you've shipped, saved, or grown in the past 12 months. Concrete numbers matter. "I managed projects" doesn't. "I reduced turnaround time by 30%" does.

👉 Ask directly about the path forward. Schedule a one-on-one and ask your manager: "What would I need to accomplish in the next 6 months to be considered for a raise or promotion?" If they can't answer, moving companies is your next move.

👉 Consider a lateral move. A title change at a different company often comes with a bigger salary jump than staying put for years. Loyalty is admirable, but underpaying yourself for it isn't.

👉Don't wait for the annual review. By the time it comes around, budget decisions are often already made. Start the conversation early and make it a habit.

If you're not sure whether your income is keeping up with your financial goals, let's find out together. Book a free strategy call ☎️

Drop in average 401(k) balances in Q1 2026

Markets had a rough quarter, and nearly 1 in 5 workers responded by taking a loan against their retirement savings. A balance drop from market movement can recover, but withdrawing early locks in those losses for good.

Average monthly spending of retirees

Social Security averages $2,081 a month in 2026 and that leaves a gap of over $3,000 every month that has to come from savings, investments, or debt. If you've never run the math on what your retirement will actually cost, that's a good place to start.

Americans who say Trump's policies are making them financially worse off.

Tariffs, program cuts, and ongoing uncertainty have made it harder to plan with confidence. You can't control policy, but you can control your savings rate, your emergency fund, and how much runway you've built for yourself.

Need to talk numbers? We can help you sort out your money.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing prints about 38 million notes a day, with a face value of roughly $541 million. Most of it is replacing old, worn-out bills already in circulation.