Wondering if there are any fraternal brothers on this forum on the level?

[want2flyy]

Wondering if other members in your fraternity are aware of your financial status and if you are treated different? As in a fraternity we are all supposed to be treated equal. Just curious.

[yakers]

Big range of assets by the brothers. Some with multiple houses (one worth way over $100M) and toys and some with old pickups held together with duct tape. Haven' t seen important distinctions based on income or assets. That part actually works according to the plan. Now grandstanding, power plays and personality issues, we' got plenty of them.

[Totoro]

One brother with a slightly different life track. He's two years older, married with two children. I am single.

I am a bit ahead in net worth (children, a wife and an old house will do that) but he's catching up pretty fast.

We are completely open to each other in terms of finances. It's how we were raised. I also manage my mother's retirement fund, brother is completely aware though (sister isn't).

Financially speaking our mother (father is out of the picture) treats us the same. Otherwise well, I don't have grandchildren and he leaves close by, so that makes a difference.

[donheff]

Post deleted. I didn't get the Greek part.

[phil1ben]

This question is certainly different.......and that is a good thing. I was in TKE graduating from college in 1982. It was a wonderful experience and my son is currently a TKE at his university. My closest friends remain my fraternity brothers and we have a very active group on Facebook. Unfortunately, current students will not be able to have the same memories that we had because of laws and political correctness. Yes, I know someone could have gotten hurt......Having said that no one did get hurt and we are all better and much closer for having gone through the experience. Please no responses telling me how childish the foregoing is.......but you had to be there as many of you know.

We get together about twice per year and most have done pretty well. Just my own personal observation, but those who have not faired well seem to stay less involved or not involved at all. They seem to be the ones where people say, "What ever happened to......" but this is no scientific test. Unfortunately, I suspect fraternities will become extinct given current college/university policies and, in my opinion, this will be a shame but I am happy my son had the experience.

[pb4uski]

I'm really only in touch with a couple of my frat brothers and even then we only touch base once a year or so. Both seem to be doing well (homes, cars, etc) but both are still working. It is hard to tell if they have a nice bankroll or are up to their eyeballs in debt - nothing we discuss.

[Mo Money]

Of the fraternity brothers I stay in touch with, most seem to be doing well -- all are professionals of one sort or another. But like pb4uski, I have no real idea if they are rolling in cash or are secretly on the verge of bankruptcy. They all have college-age kids and seem to be in the work-till-65 mode -- except me, the "single" oddball.

[poorcarver]

Two levels on this one, speaking of "on the level". I was an active and interested member of a college frat and enjoyed it very much. I noticed that as I neared graduation that my interest had flagged. Simply sort of grew out of it. By the nature of the college and the particular frat the sort of "animal house" stuff you think of just did not happen.


As to "On The Level" I am a member and have been since the night before I graduated. Raised on Friday night, got up and was commissioned and graduated, sort of set my life orientation in 24 hours. My membership has been the central theme of my adult life beyond the proper support of wife and children and remains an important part of my retirement.


I am not all that in touch with college frat members or for that matter my alumni organization. The school built a chapel some years ago so I figured it they had money for that they never would need anything from me so I dropped out of contact.


In my experience generally finances are not discussed in lodge or among members. Obviously like any institution folks of the same general level will have financial conversations among themselves.

[38Chevy454]

While being in a fraternity (Phi Kappa Psi for me) was the best thing I did in college besides going to college and graduating, I do not really keep in touch with any of my fraternity brothers. I do get the official fraternity magazine and periodic contact from my specific chapter, and do like to hear some news as to what is going on. Probably the biggest reason to have limited contact is I live out of state for many years and just not convenient to visit back there.

So short answer to your question, I have no idea on how any of my fraternity brothers are doing financially. I have occasionally given a donation to my local chapter, but nothing that amounts to anything I would claim as substantial. Enough to buy a few kegs of beer over the time, which would be a good use of those funds

[mystang52]

About a dozen of us frat brothers get together for dinner every 3 months - a tradition started a few years ago (graduating classes from 1970-1975). We don't talk finances directly, but of course one can glean quite a bit just from conversations over time. None of us are in dire straits, but beyond that the status ranges from so-so to very wealthy.
I was the first to FIRE, 3 others have since joined me. With the exception of the "so-so's" the others are working by choice.

[jIMOh]

I am a FIJI from GMI. Most of us have decent jobs now. As we reconnect for beers, money comes up sometimes. We are not all in same situation- I am divorced and likely make more than 60% of who I went to school with... others have SAHM, we all have kids with various issues (special needs) which contribute. Some are right wing/ some are left wing and there is a trend as to which of them are more successful financially along those lines (big generalization, but I notice).

[want2flyy]

I really appreciate all of the replies!