I recently found myself at a crossroads in my career. I’m a 33-year-old married woman with no kids yet, but we’re considering starting a family next year. I’ve been a state employee for 10 years, and I’m vested with a pension and a 401k where the state contributes 2%. My current salary is around $82k, and while the job isn't overly stressful, some coworkers can make it feel that way at times. Overall, I enjoy my workplace culture. I’ve accumulated 45 annual leave days, plus I get 6 personal days and 15 sick leave days each year. Right now, I go into the office three days a week. However, I recently applied for a new position at an insurance company that piqued my interest. They’re offering $105k, which is a significant increase. The benefits, especially health insurance, are much better than what I currently have with the state. The new role also offers opportunities for advancement after a few years, and I would only need to go into the office two days a week. The downside is that I would be losing a lot of my accrued time off, although it would be paid out. I’m really torn about whether to stay in my comfortable state job or take the leap into this new opportunity. I’d love to hear any thoughts or insights from others who have faced similar decisions.