Seattle woman convinces husband they need $600k annual income to afford two kids: 'No family live within 1000 miles of us'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Aug 20, 2026 9:15 AM EDT

Should being a parent come with a required minimum income?

Of all the reasons that people do not seem to be having as many kids as before, the fact that they feel like they can't afford them is one of the most common. Starting a family is expensive even when parents try to do it on a budget. According to the New York Times, an increasing number of young couples feel like they don't have enough time to make the money they need to bring children into the world without struggling financially. They are more afraid of what their monthly budget is going to look like than the lifestyle shift. 

The conversation of kids and finances can be a tricky one to have, as everybody takes a slightly different perspective on it. On the one hand, countless people throughout the whole of human history have managed to raise children with limited resources; surely, the relative luxury we enjoy nowadays should make the process even easier. On the other hand, standards of parenting have been raised to the level that a lot of moms and dads feel like they have to spend large amounts on their kids to be acceptable parents. Also, it's not like the basics come cheap anymore. 

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  • A young couple sitting at a table at home put their hands to their mouths as they look over financial papers.
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A young couple sitting at a table at home put their hands to their mouths as they look over financial papers. Not actual story subjects.


     

  • A Seattle-based startup founder on Twitter got attention recently for his complaints about the standards his wife had set for them to be able to have kids. Apparently, she claimed that a joint income of no less than $600k a year would be acceptable for them to have two children. While the husband felt this was achievable, he wasn't sure he could say the same for other people he knew. He had his concerns.

  • She didn't want to risk it with any less money.

    Chris P. Wicks @CrispyWicks Wife is convinced we need to make 600k annual to afford two kids, no family on either side who live within 1,000 miles of us. Feels heavy right now trying to make this work.
    via CrispyWicks
  • Chris P. Wicks @CrispyWicks Not that 600k is that lofty a goal for us, mind you. It's not an impossible, or even implausible, goal *for us*. I guess part of what's heavy is thinking of my friends or other people who I want procreating and them running into similar numbers. Or, my lady is totally off base, both of which are unpleasant!
    via CrispyWicks

  • Other people thought the wife may have other things on her mind.

    Here for fun. @twiceas fly I think she doesn't want to tell you the truth of her thinking the kids would be a burden to her and you wouldn't help. Her saying she wants yall to make that amount of money is because she wants to be financially stable enough to afford the help of raising the kids.
    via twiceas_fly
  • MarsAutomatic ❤ @MarsAutomatic No this is just insane, especially if you're already making around that much together. Something isn't right here. I don't care how expensive WA is, you absolutely do not need 600k a year to raise 2 kids unless your lifestyle is decadent.
    via MarsAutomatic

  • Others were sure that the figure was an exaggeration.

    Wilfred Reilly ❤ @wil_da_beast630 The unregulated neuroticism of many upper-middle class people, particularly women, is wholly out of control and is why everything "feels impossible." You do not need $600,000, or $100,000, per year to have a stable family with 1-2 kids.
    via wil_da_beast630
  • mostly harmless grad... ❤ @rieszspieces i feel like i live in a different reality from most people because my parents made around 400k in the bay area and we were absolutely very rich and that amount was definitely not necessary to raise me and my brother
    via rieszspieces
  • Midwest Antiquarian ❤ @Eric Erins The American professional upper middle class is constantly innovating new ways to make me feel crazy
    via Eric_Erins

  • Most parents are making do with less.

    the Rich @Duderichy median household income of a family with two kids is $150k in the US LIVE NOW +1 The average annual income for U.S. households with two children is approximately $145,656. By comparison, dual-income couples with children report a median household income of roughly $151,900, though Houscholdi Income general family-with-children medians vary depending on whether parents are single or married. WE LiveNO... +2
    via Duderichy
  • REVENANT 4 @revenant MMXX I am happy to see startup mover-and-shaker goblins analysis-paralyzing themselves out of reproducing
    via revenant_MMXX
  • Joe Cassandra ❤ @JoeCassandra The idea of "I need to give my kid every luxury, private lessons, attend a top private school, big house, international travel etc. else it's not worth having a kid" is a terrible way to think. It's actually bad for them to get spoiled like that. The "over scheduled" child is a Gen X/ millennial disease
    via JoeCassandra

  • At the same time, parents have a responsibility to give kids their best.

    Miss Sandrist @foreverimbetter I don't think she's wrong. There's the cost of raising the child plus the rising cost of college tuition. Can it be done on less? Yes. But if you're in a position to do better by your kids then it's a must imo
    via foreverimbetter
  • Fractal Friend @fractal friend You actually need 6 trillion or you should be criminally charged with neglect
    via fractal_friend
  • Cactus Isaac - Exile in G... @Saguarolsaac You are delusional. Do you know how many 25-44 year old households have that kind of money? (From back of the Census napkin math) 1-2% Lemme tell you, even in vhcol towns, people are having kids at a h I of a lot less than 600k
    via SaguaroIsaac

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