There are 7 easy steps:
1. Take your 2011 bonus and double it
2. Reduce the number by half as your firm would have had a really tough year
3. Times that figure by two, as you hit all your personal targets this year
4. Subtract 50% because your firm will be concerned about the political implications of paying large bonuses when the 'real economy' is still in such trouble
5. Double that figure as your boss promised you a bumper bonus for this year, as he stiffed you in 2011
6. Subtract another 50% as your bank will need to scale back on bonuses to keep regulators happy and preserve capital ratios
7. Take away the number you first started with
Congratulations, you now have your 2012 bonus number!
The Billionaire's Apprentice
The Buy Side: A Wall Street Trader's Tale of Spectacular Excess
