Mathematically, in the highest tax bracket (44% tax in Canada) you have to earn about a 35% and higher return to justify your trading if you are using it as all or part of your retirement. The top mutual funds, ( in Canada there are 2 or 3 with > 10 years track records of 20-30%) when bought and compounded tax free do better than a trader that returns 35% every year during the same time period. So basically, unless you maxed out your IRA or RRSP, you have got a better chance seeking out the best performing funds and investing in them then you have as an independent trader being taxed to shit. Trading is nice, but you have to figure out to what extent its worth it- when you prop trading $200K+, but thats about it