There’s a difference between “unable” and “not doing”.
I’ve been in this position from time to time, and it always came down to making expensive choices or recovering from an unexpected necessary large expense.
I might have a few financial regrets but when it comes down to it, spending as much as I made was always just a choice I could have changed at any time.
US government often doesn't recognize your family member as a dependent, so you get taxed a lot and you still get to support your family members that completely depend on you. So your FAANG $200k salary in CA will yield $120k in cashflow(no 401K or medical), and if you have two parents to support - you're screwed by the government and your real income is shared between 3 people.
I mean.... I literally cannot get my mother to be my dependent, even though I fully financially support her.
I’ve been in this position from time to time, and it always came down to making expensive choices or recovering from an unexpected necessary large expense.
I might have a few financial regrets but when it comes down to it, spending as much as I made was always just a choice I could have changed at any time.