[ravensfan]

My opinion of finance is somewhat different: As you mentioned, 60-100hours a week can be required. I can attest, having a university education AND partial completion of a CFA (2/3) aren't always sufficient to get into even an analyst position (although Toronto is crazy-oversaturated). You may also need to play the corporate game, work hard for a long time, progress, spend a shitload on good clothes, etc to get the chance to work your way up. Working hard, being smart, and enthusiastic about the job, may put you at 100K within 8 years, but 200K?
In Canada, with the tax laws as they are: 100K US poker ~ 200K Cdn legit.

Why wait through 10 years of hard work, good fortune, long hours, and less enjoyable working conditions, only to get somewhere you can be now?

Also, having capital is huge. If you can invest 60K a year (living off of 40K is still sick enough), then you won't need to work in the finance industry as you can start turning that money around really quicly - if you put the same passion into the next venture as this.

That said, make DAMN SURE you're pulling $50/hr.

My plan is this: once i graduate to 33s, i'm tracking my hourly earnings. If i'm at $55+/hr over 500 hours, i'm going to assume that this sample size is sufficient, and slip it by the fiance/wife. Pray for me!!