A pay raise is exciting, but it's important not to overlook how that money can help you build wealth in the long term.

Here are three ways to handle finances better as you get raises at work:


1. Keep lifestyle inflation under control

First and foremost, the initial challenge for someone is to not increase your level of spending just because you're making more money. There is a tendency to want to spend more when there is more money available. However, it can be extremely beneficial to longer-term financial goals if your mindset shifts from being a consumer to an investor/saver.

It might be difficult, but one way to think of it is to keep the same spending patterns (i.e., "lifestyle) intact despite having an opportunity to increase them, which will allow more resources to be used for specific financial planning goals. Spending more money just because you have it available is often called lifestyle inflation, and it's a major reason why people can be living paycheck-to-paycheck on six-figure salaries.


2. Consider how your raise can impact your long-term goals

When we talk about balance, we're talking about striking the right ratio of money spent now to money set aside for the future — which might mean increasing your rate of savings in investment accounts or focusing on debt reduction payments (or both). With investments, there are some things that we simply are not able to control, like overall market downturns. However, deciding how much and often to contribute money to accumulating wealth are areas that are clearly within our control.

Upon getting a pay raise at work, you now have the opportunity to grow your assets more by saving/investing the additional cash flow, which can lead to an improved money situation over time.

A pay raise at work can provide someone who has higher-interest debt the option to expedite the process of paying it off completely. The faster a person can get to being debt-free, the more time they have to accumulate their own wealth.


3. Understand the potential of being in a higher tax bracket

This article has discussed all the great opportunities to take advantage of when earning more money at work. However, there is one more item that is not so fun but must be discussed: taxation.

Quite simply, higher-income generally results in an increased tax liability. It is important for you to consult with a qualified professional on this topic as you get (and continue to) receive pay raises over time. As you continue to move into higher tax brackets, tax planning conversations (and strategies) should be discussed with a financial planner and/or tax professional, which can be of great benefit to your financial situation.

Leave a Reply