Potentially able to switch jobs to an industry I really like within a larger, quite stable organization, friendly with remote work who retain and grow their employees well. Strong culture, strong team.

I’m currently making $200k . In this new job I’d manage a smaller team and make $160k with slightly worse benefits (eg I pay 20% health insurance). There is room to grow salary over time, though probably at a slower pace than other opportunities.

My fiancé is finishing her MD/PhD, and won’t make “real” money for at least the next 7 years. But when she’s finished with school and residency, she’ll likely be around $200k .

Neither of us have any debt. She currently has no assets and her family has nothing as well (she actually grew up homeless) . I’ve got ~$1M in retirement and stock accounts, and ~$1M more in home equity. My family also has no assets I’d inherit. Part of the home equity comes from a couple rental properties which generate net income of ~$50k/yr.

I like my current work, but it is long hours and a lot of stress (but honestly not that bad, and it’s work I enjoy).

I know $160k salary is a lot, and I’m exceptionally fortunate to be in the position I’m in. But I have some irrational financial concerns. My family grew up on food stamps and I’ve always felt extremely financially insecure. One of the reasons I bought rental properties is that (a) I didn’t spend any money in my 20s because I decided I should have an irresponsibly large emergency fund and (b) I decided to prioritize creating an income floor so I’d never be at risk of homelessness or hunger again.

Worried that if I give up ~$50k in annual salary plus stock options at such a young age, that I’ll miss out on significant compound gains and wealth building that would provide my future family greater comfort and stability (we want kids, probably 2, within the next 5 years, and financial anxiety is one of the reasons we haven’t already started).

On the other hand, this is a job and career I’d love, I’d still make a lot, wife will eventually be high earning, and this would give me a great “income floor” and job stability/security that would provide me some mental comfort.

Should I ride out higher paid, higher stress, higher volatility work while I’m still childless? Take the extra money and invest it so I still have 20-40 years of compound growth on an incremental $50k annually coming my way? Or switch jobs and join a company I’ll likely be with for a long time, but at a lower earnings level/earnings potential? Fwiw we probably eventually want to settle in a place like Seattle or Austin or San Diego.

Thanks.