He’s an FBI agent living in Los Angeles and at the center of an investigation that has captured the attention of the world at large. Mark Benford of “Flash Forward” has enough on his plate without spending time worrying about pinching pennies. But does this father and recovering alcoholic make enough money to support a pricey West Coast lifestyle?
Who is Mark Benford?
Mark Benford is the husband of Olivia and father of Charlie. Mark is an FBI agent and a recovering alcoholic, both of which play large roles in his day-to-day life. He and his family live in Los Angeles, Calif., though his work has shown him jet-setting across the globe as he tries to make sense of an event that caused the entire world to fall asleep simultaneously.
How much money does Flash Forward’s Mark Benford make?
As an FBI agent with roughly 15 to 20 years of experience (based on his age), Mark likely makes approximately $75,000-120,000 a year, according to Payscale’s career profile. The show gives little to no evidence of credit card or financial struggles for the Benford family, though statistically, alcoholics have a high risk of financial trouble.
In addition to Mark’s salary, his wife Olivia has a high-profile career as a trauma surgeon, where she may make a salary of $300,000 a year, according to the Salary Wizard. With their incomes combined, therefore, the Benford family may bring in around $400,000 a year, substantially higher than the national average.
How much does it cost to live in Los Angeles?
It isn’t cheap to live in Los Angeles. According to City-Data’s comprehensive look at the region, the average income is just under $50,000 a year, the average cost of a single family home like the Benford’s is $670,000 and the cost of living is 162 (very high), whereas the average cost of living in the United States is 100. As such, Mark would be able to survive on his own, but his wife’s salary is the real boon that keeps his family afloat.
Assuming, though, that Mark and Olivia Benford have no outstanding debt or financial troubles, it’s reasonable to assume that they’d be doing quite well for themselves in Los Angeles compared to other residents. With no credit card debt that we know of and secure jobs, even with childcare for their daughter and a high cost of living, Benford just may be able to make his salary (combined with that of his successful wife) stretch far enough to make it!
