A non-qualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan allows a service provider to earn wages, bonuses, or other compensation in one year but receive the earnings—and defer the income tax on them—in a later year. Doing this provides income in the future (often after they've left the workforce), and may reduce the tax payable on the income if the person is in a lower tax bracket when the deferred compensation is received. READ MORE
I was laid off from a 6-figure salary job and now deliver DoorDash meals for $3 tips.
One month ago, I was a communications executive with a six-figure salary. Today, I deliver sandwiches for DoorDash, sometimes for nearly minimum wage.
The first time I accepted a DoorDash order, I nearly cried. Just weeks earlier, I had been managing crisis communications for an entire industry. READ MORE
Glass Lewis Updates Pay-for-Performance Methodology
In response to investor demand for clear and consistent pay-for-performance analysis as executive compensation plans become increasingly complex, Glass Lewis recently announced a new pay-for-performance methodology (here). To provide greater transparency and more meaningful and predictable analysis in its reports, Glass Lewis will now provide a quantitative score based on five key tests and a qualitative assessment. The new methodology and scoring will be applicable starting January 1, 2026. The Glass Lewis announcement comes shortly after the launch of its annual benchmark policy survey READ MORE
Job hopping was once all the rage, but the days of big salary increases from switching careers might be over
This month, the global organizational consultancy firm Korn Ferry declared that we’ve entered a nationwide era of “job hugging,” a term to describe the trend of workers increasingly holding onto their positions for dear life amid economic uncertainty, layoffs, and AI disruption.
Now, a new report from the Bank of America Institute is shedding fresh light on the trend, showing that workers may be choosing to cling onto their current jobs because “job hopping” is no longer profitable. READ MORE
A Framework for Fair and Consistent Pay Decisions
Organizations and their total rewards professionals make compensation decisions on a daily basis — whether it’s toward extending an external offer, shifting salaries tied to promotions, enacting off-cycle adjustments, addressing market rates or various other reasons.
Most organizations define their desired market position and pay approach, but that philosophy often fails to translate into consistent day-to-day practices — especially when decisions extend beyond the compensation team. READ MORE
Are You Considering Paying Premiums for AI Skills? Read This First.
Workers who have the right artificial intelligence (AI) skills or training — and apply them in the right place, at the right moment — may earn a pretty penny in today’s hiring landscape.
Some organizations are paying a premium to lure such workers. The nine-figure bonusesOpen in a new tab pledged to top AI engineers certainly catch the eye, but there’s plenty more of this trend across roles and industries beyond those outliers. For example, compensation data firm J. Thelander Consulting found technology companies — especially startups — are paying premiums of up to $200,000Open in a new tab for data scientists and analysts trained in machine learning. READ MORE
Someone Calculated What The Minimum Wage Should Be Today Compared To The '70s
Americans are routinely living paycheck to paycheck, and for many, home ownership has become a pipe dream. We also all know that young people have inherited this economy from generations that, in many ways, had it much easier. But if you had to guess, what would you think the minimum wage would have to be to have the same home-buying power as it would have in the 1970s for baby boomers? READ MORE
Elon Musk hasn’t received a salary for 6–8 years, claims brother Kimbal Musk: ‘He deserves to be paid’
Elon Musk's younger brother Kimbal Musk has alleged that Elon Musk has not been paid for the last six to eight years by Tesla and that the world's richest man “deserves to be paid.”
While speaking on CNBC's “Squawk Box” last week, Kimbal Musk said, “I think my brother deserves to be paid.” READ MORE
The Double-Edged Sword of Stock-Based Compensation in the AI Talent War
In the high-stakes race to dominate artificial intelligence, stock-based compensation (SBC) has emerged as both a weapon and a vulnerability. For tech companies,
SBC is a critical lever to attract and retain elite AI talent, yet its dilutive impact on shareholder value raises urgent questions about long-term sustainability. As the industry grapples with this paradox, investors must weigh the strategic necessity of SBC against its financial costs. READ MORE
Tesla Shareholder Group Challenges Musk Compensation Award
The controversy over the various compensation packages awarded to Elon Musk by the Tesla board since 2018 took a new turn this week. A shareholder organization called SOC Investment Group has asked NASDAQ — not the Securities and Exchange Commission — to invalidate the latest proposed compensation package on the grounds that it violates the trading platform’s rules designed to protect shareholders of publicly traded companies. READ MORE
Time Abundance: Reclaiming Our Most Precious Resource
In today’s world, time has become a form of currency, perhaps the most valuable of all. We trade it like a commodity. We spend it, we lose it, we chase it. But what if we’ve been playing the wrong game all along? We weren’t born to hustle. We were born to live.
Our current system rewards exhaustion. It applauds overwork. The message is clear: if you want to “make it,” you must sacrifice rest, presence, and sometimes even your sanity. But I refuse to accept that equation. In the Science Economy, we flip the script. We stop asking, “How can I get more done?” and start asking, “How can I live more fully?” READ MORE
Caller Says His Employees Are Unhappy With Their Raises. Dave Ramsey Responds, 'A 2% Raise In A 9% Inflation Economy Is Insulting'
Blake from Lincoln, Nebraska, recently called into Dave Ramsey‘s “EntreLeadership” podcast with a problem many managers face: employees who are frustrated with their raises.
Blake, the controller of a physical security company with about 100 employees, explained their current compensation system: a 2% cost-of-living raise every year, plus up to 3% more based on merit. But the merit side was getting messy. READ MORE
Majority of employers using deferred compensation plans to retain executive talent
A majority of U.S. employers are using non-qualified deferred compensation plans for executive retention (68 per cent) and to support broader financial planning goals such as remaining competitive with peers (53 per cent) and helping participants save for retirement (52 per cent), according to a new survey by NFP Corp.
The survey, which polled more than 250 employers, found nearly nine in ten (87 per cent) said plan members are satisfied with the impact of deferred compensation plans on their retirement preparedness. READ MORE
Meta Slams The Brakes On AI Hiring After Nine-Figure Salary Spree
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) has frozen hiring across its artificial intelligence division after months of aggressive recruiting, according to the Wall Street Journal. The pause began last week, also blocking internal transfers inside the AI group unless approved by Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang.
A Meta spokesperson called the move “basic organizational planning” to build a “solid structure” for its new superintelligence push. READ MORE
Charlie Kirk Didn't Take a Salary for 5 Years—Now His Investment Strategy Reaches Millions Daily
Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and host of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” has built a financial empire using an unconventional approach that prioritizes reinvestment over salary—and his investment philosophy during market downturns has proven remarkably profitable.
Speaking on the "The Iced Coffee Hour" podcast, Kirk revealed that he invests 75% to 80% of everything he makes, maintaining a highly diversified portfolio that spans private equity, mutual funds, index funds, real estate, and even emerging technologies. His disciplined approach to wealth building offers valuable insights for investors looking to maximize long-term returns. READ MORE
How Far a $50K Salary Will Go in Every State
Could you get by on a $50,000 salary in your state?
Based on average yearly expenditures for people making between $50,000 and $69,000, it doesn’t look promising. There isn’t a single state in which $50,000 would completely take care of those expenses. READ MORE
AMD Isn't Keeping Up With Meta Platforms' $100 Million Salaries For AI Talent, And The Reason Is Brilliant
Advanced Micro Devices pays its AI experts well, but it's not following Meta Platforms' footsteps. AMD CEO Lisa Su recently said that the AI chipmaker will not offer $100 million packages to compete with Meta Platforms as they recruit AI talent.
Su mentioned that money is "not necessarily the most important thing when you're attracting talent" in an interview with Wired. While it might sound like AMD is taking the cheap route, the company pays its employees well, and Su's expanded explanation reveals key business lessons. READ MORE
OpenAI may soon be the most valuable private company—but Sam Altman’s net worth won’t jolt, as the CEO holds no equity and makes just $76,001 a year
OpenAI is on the brink of becoming the world’s most valuable private company, anticipated to reach a $500 billion valuation after a $6 billion planned shares sale. But its cofounder and CEO, Sam Altman, won’t be shooting up the billionaire list for the major accomplishment—he currently holds zero equity in the AI company, earning an annual salary of $76,001. Instead, the bulk of his $1.9 billion fortune comes from his early investments in industry titans, including Reddit, Uber, Asana, and Airbnb.
The AI race is one of the hottest business wars this decade, with the market expected to be worth $4.8 trillion by 2033. And OpenAI has been a front-runner in the fierce battle, with ChatGPT amassing a staggering 800 million active users, according to CEO Sam Altman. READ MORE
Starbucks’ CEO is ditching a merit system and giving all salaried staff a flat 2% pay raise instead
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is ditching a merit system in favor of a uniform 2% pay raise for all salaried employees in North America this year. The move comes as the coffee chain looks to limit costs while investments are funneled into turnaround efforts. Compensation experts tell Fortune salary slowdowns are common amid economic uncertainty, but the 2% rate lags behind the national average.
Starbucks will provide a flat 2% pay bump to all salaried employees in North America this year as the coffee chain looks to minimize costs as part of CEO Brian Niccol’s turnaround efforts. READ MORE
This Is the ‘Perfect’ Salary in America, According to a New Survey
A new survey says the average American would be happy making $74,000 a year. Not rich, not flashy—just enough to feel stable. But for a lot of people, that number feels out of reach.
The survey, conducted by Talker Research for SurePayroll, found that half of Americans say their current income doesn’t support the life they want. Nearly a quarter say they’re unhappy with what they make, and 35% are already looking for a new job. Another 39% say it’s harder than ever to get hired. READ MORE