If you contribute 2k a month at 7% interest that would take you 23 years. A long time yes, but certainly achievable on a 100k salary. Of course I know the interest rate might not be that going forward, but the point still stands.
No, because in your scenario the people who have $1.25M in assets now are going to have $6M in 23 years (invested at the same rate), so these high earners still won't end up in the top 10%.
This is, I'm sure, is what the parent means. Compared to people with capital, people on high incomes are always behind.
If you earn more than average, spend less than your peers, and invest wisely then you might move up a bit on the wealth scale, but that's it.
I think the idea is that some of the people that have $1.25M now are not going to be around in 23 years, and that money will have gone to [inheritance, eldercare, etc], so who makes up the top 10% will change simply because of demographics.
harder to make 100k 23 years ago than it is today. by the time you finish a 2k/mo journey you begin today, 1.25M will be no longer be the cutoff for top 10%
If you contribute 2k a month at 7% interest that would take you 23 years. A long time yes, but certainly achievable on a 100k salary. Of course I know the interest rate might not be that going forward, but the point still stands.