Higher educational achievement tends to correlate to higher incomes, and I think that is a big factor in our areas income, as government employees are not exactly the driving force in the areas high income.And lawyers....everyone is a lawyer here.

I am neither an employee nor getting any other benefit from the PE Fund. 

I just want to add that if you're doing it as a business, don't get too hung up on 1099's, make sure you're dealing with a businesses that's licensed and insured, if not, it's going to cost you.I had a business, had regular employees and some 1099 guys.

Fast forward to today: Milwaukee has been in the news lately quite a bit - Foxconn (one of the largest manufacturers of consumer electronics with 1.3 million employees) has announced a 10 billion dollar investment in a new plant creating  up too 13.000 well paying jobs in Southeast Wiscinsin, probably Racine or Kenosha - close to the lake.

page=1https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/429980-officially-financially-free-at-32----exciting-dayhttps://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/223/topics/445367-full-time-employee-multiple-brrrr-side-hustle-2875-to-goalFor buy and hold rentals, there is a continuum of perspectives.

With pre-tax retirement accounts, the funds are invested prior to taxes being taken out- this is typically how companies set up their 401(k) plans for employees.  

page=1https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/48/topics/429980-officially-financially-free-at-32----exciting-dayhttps://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/223/topics/445367-full-time-employee-multiple-brrrr-side-hustle-2875-to-goalGood luck to you

Can you also structure yourself as an LLC as a Loan Mortgage Originator even though your an employee?

With two years left on my contract I've decided that i'm done with being an employee forever.

Id say its not that common industry wide, we just have minimums since we cant carry dead weight with all the employees we have working here.