BiggerPockets Money Podcast · Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Carl details his career path, explaining that he was primarily a software developer. Towards the end of his career, he transitioned to being a contractor, which significantly increased his hourly pay from $85,000 annually to $85 per hour. This financial success allowed him and his wife to maximize their retirement accounts.
“I was a software developer and then at the very end of my career, I was a contractor. So I went from W2 employment to a contractor. They're like, hey, um, we want you to change the nature of your employment. So you need to become a contractor. I was doing consulting and they're like, but well, we'll double your your pay.”
“So I was making like 85,000 a year and they're like, we'll give you $85 an hour. I'm like, okay, great. So at that time, I'm like, let's really maximize these retirement accounts.”