[lookout123]

the reality of that chart is that people only need XX amount to live on. if they make a XXXX money they will spend more but not substantially more on a consistant basis. and the simple fact of the matter is that somewhere around $80-100K/year people start becoming more wealth maintenance focused rather than survival and wealth creation focused.
when that happens they get to the point where cars and such are paid for in cash and they strive to put as much money as possible to work for them. they invest it in
A) 401K or similar plans
B)Roth, IRA, SEP, SIMPLE or similar plans
C) overfunded insurance plans (LIRPs)
D) real estate
E) standard investment accts.

all of these vehicles hold the same investments they are just sheltered in a different way.

a person who makes $50K per year has access to the same types of investments as a person who makes $300K per year. the person who makes more is just going to put more money into the plan annually.

5 years down the road the guy who made $50K probably makes $55-60 and saves a little more than he did. the guy who made $300 probably still makes $300-310 and saves a little more. (a smaller percentage of income growth)

where your chart comes in is that the power of compounding causes the "rich" guy's investment income grow at a greater percentage than his working income. because he is at the peak of his career his annual salary won't increase much, but his investments continue to compound so that each year a larger and larger portion of his earned income is from Cap gains and dividends.