In this episode, Priya Malani discusses something most high earners have felt at some point - the friendship tax. When income diverges between close friends, the higher earner usually absorbs the gap - and it can add up. Priya breaks down what it actually costs, why it's almost impossible to bring up, and what makes it so hard to separate from the friendship itself. The real question isn't whether you're being generous. It's whether you’re aware it’s happening and that it’s usually a by-product of a conversation that seems too uncomfortable to have.

Takeaways:

• High earners don't talk about this because culturally, a high income is supposed to disqualify the complaint.
• Generosity is a choice; subsidizing a social dynamic you never agreed to is something else entirely.
• When your income recalibrates, your financial identity recalibrates with it — but your friendships don't always follow.

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