dvilayphet

Thanks Matt,
That opens another discussion, if you’re only aiming to make 60-100K year (i’m assuming USD), there are many professions that make at least that with a less rigorous education process - why become a CFA?
Most CFAs probably aim to make a lot more than that i assume?

Andreas42

i’d say the 60-100k range is pretty average and is attainable by almost anybody with the CFA charter over their lifetime. BUT, in addition to that 60-100k, you get to manage your portfolio at a professional level versus having to pay for it had you chosen another field. take 1-1.5% mgmt fee over 60 years and you’ve got plenty in additional unrealized income. plus, you have the opportunity of discovering investments that would otherwise go undiscovered and the opportunity to make crazy alpha that you would otherwise be unable to make.
personally, i enjoy finance content over sciences content. i’ve been doing TVofM calcs in my head since i was 12 just for the fun of it. i can be a blabbermouth so i need to be in either finance or law versus the sciences or tech, and finance involves much less study than law. i chose the CFA route because i enjoy it. CFAs may aim to make more than 100k, but very few do or will make much more than 100k. this is especially true in the “new normal”.
CFA makes you much more employable than some biology MS. going the CFA route is incredibly cost effective for the job opportunities it creates. at least i’m not an accountant.

justin88

100% of asset managers make thier salary, 50% of (professional) day traders break even

tarunajwani

The golden rule in trading is 4%.  Those in that category absolutely kill it.

eoin

You are probably still very young (i’m assuming) with limited experience. I think accountants in developed markets like singapore should offer accounting jobs at least at 60-70K range?

pennyless

I’ve read somewhere that George Soros used to say to a roomful of portfolio manager hopefuls that in 5 yrs time more than two-thirds of them will get washed out of their careers (by the markets)

LBriscoe

This thread highly reminds me of this short video.  
One cartoon character uses the F word towards the end.  Watch this alone, or use headphones

joehogue

I think making a successful trading career takes much more effort than that. I think it takes somewhere 5-10 years before you find the method which suits your personality and statistical edge and lets not even consider the emotional pain with losing money, though there are exceptions. Took 8 years, 10000s of books, lost MONEY . I think its much much  more psychological than anything to do with have an “edge”. It all depends what you love to do and how bad you want. I see a nice “Insurance plan” on my trading plan because I fail. Atleast I wont die hungry.
-“Win or lose, everybody gets what they want out of the market. Some people seem to like to lose, so they win by losing money.” Ed Seykota

PalacioHill

I know several people who tried day trading and can say that only one can be called relatively successful. The advantage for this person is that his wife makes very good living working in health care, and that is his safety net. I don’t know if would have made it without such support system in place.
As for making money from trading - it’s up and down for him, it will not make him rich for sure.