Advice From Current Pros- Quit a $100K Job? (long)

[ChuckyB]

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If you're so well off, I'm not sure why you need insurance. Insurance is a sucker bet. If something bad comes along, you can probably set up a payment plan with the hospital, or at least draw on your HELOC or something. You can probably negotiate your costs down with the hospital, as well.

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Insurance is a sucker's bet? How old are you?

Anyway, the guy's got a kid. Even if he and his wife are pretty healthy, kids have a lot of medical expenses...

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To be fair -- and forgive me, I live in Canada, the land of universal insurance -- insurance companies don't stay in business because they're a losing proposition. It is a 'sucker bet' (for lack of a better term) because the odds are in the company's favor. However most people don't have enough money to handle things if the worst happens. So we'll pay $700 a year in house insurance (mine) 'cause I could never afford $70,000 to replace it. If I had hundreds of millions...screw it.

[ChuckyB]

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If you're so well off, I'm not sure why you need insurance. Insurance is a sucker bet.

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"So well off" would have to mean tens of millions of dollars though. I agree it's a sucker bet...but it's necessary for 99.9% of the population to get into this -EV situation.

[Shaun]

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One thing I have not seen mentioned. You could try this for 12 weeks, and have your job guaranteed. As a new dad, you are entitled to take upto 12 weeks unpaid leave under the family and medical leave act in order to take care of your newborn. Your company is required to rehire you at the same position after the leave. They must also continue to provide health insurance.

Talk to your HR person to get more details.

Paul

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This is a great point. Personally, if you make that much money already and have those kind of savings, I'd say you can afford to take a small risk. Play for a living for 12 weeks under FMLA. When it winds down, consider your thoughts and make a decision from there.

I've been playing for a living for a little while now and yes it can be hard at times. Then again there are a lot harder things. You have a good job and if status is important to you, realize that poker won't help. On the other hand if the freedom you will have outweighs the benefits of your current job then go for it. For me personally, freedom is very important, but I have never had a job like the one you have now.

Like you, my wife just had a baby but I can't say it has affected things negatively at all since we get health Insurance through her job. Good luck to you.

[ihardlyknowher]

I just quit practicing law full time to play. I still do contract work, about ten hours a week. If I bill 25 a week I make as much as I did at a big firm. Contract work rules, go for it.

[Bob T.]

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If you're so well off, I'm not sure why you need insurance. Insurance is a sucker bet. If something bad comes along, you can probably set up a payment plan with the hospital, or at least draw on your HELOC or something. You can probably negotiate your costs down with the hospital, as well.

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I dont think you understand the state of health costs in our country. When my son was born, he spent the first two months in the hospital, and his bills were over a quarter million. I remember the day we got the one bill, for 247K, and even though we had insurance, my wife panicked. Fortunately I had already paid my full deductible for the year, and that one was completely paid by the insurance company. I don't think those kinds of bills are anything you want to face alone.

That's horrible. Here in Finland everyone has a free health insurance since birth. I'm a college dropout and I don't have a job, but still I get free money from an institution that is ran by the government to get my daily food, clothings and place to live.
US sounds more and more [censored] up country every time I'm reading these stories.

[mowz]

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That's horrible. Here in Finland everyone has a free health insurance since birth. I'm a college dropout and I don't have a job, but still I get free money from an institution that is ran by the government to get my daily food, clothings and place to live.
US sounds more and more [censored] up country every time I'm reading these stories.

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We try and discourage college dropouts from spending their time browsing gambling forums on taxpayer's money. You're right, we're a horrible country. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[kantu]

you have a wife ,newborn child and a good job.

why do you want to play poker for a living???

you make 100 k now AND you are doing really well online. why change that?

who do you want to be? you are taking something that is a fun (and lucrative)hobby and turning it into your job.

i have 3 predictions:
1) your win rate will drop off the table
2) your wife will get really mad
3) you will end up hating poker

but you know, if you have an itch .......you should probably scratch it. don't regret something you didn't do.....regret something you did.

best of luck

[Texter]

I'm not a pro but I do have kids. That baby is going to turn you into a zombie for a couple months, so your poker could suffer some.

[Aceshigh7]

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Canada consistently has one of the highest standards of living in the world.

I work in Canadian health care and I can say that although it is not without its problems, it is still some of the best in the world and universal for EVERYONE.

Poker winnings are also tax-free in Canada.

I am surprised that more internet poker pros don't try and move here.

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I think it's so funny when people say things like this. Firstly, I've been to Canada and while it's a fine country, it is not the land of milk and honey. If I was to move to a foreign country in order to make my living playing cards on the internet (a living which may or may not be a feasible way of making money a couple of years down the line depending on poker's popularity) I would damn sure want some better weather and a less socialist political climate. Even in BC which has generally the mildest climate it's still gray, wet, overcast, and cold in the winter.

U.S citizens cannot escape their tax obligations by moving to Canada. They will still be liable for U.S income taxes no matter where they live.