Top Firm’s Average Comp This Year Estimated At $700,000

During these difficult times (financially and politically), executives at firms like Goldman Sachs are understandably keen to downplay what bonuses may look like come this year-end.

And it's true, we are only half-way through the year - and anything could happen to bonus pots between now and the end of the fourth-quarter. But The Wall Street Journal reports that, based on current analysts' earnings forecasts for 2009, Goldman is on track to pay out some $20bn in comp - and that's around $700,000 per employee, almost double last year's figure of $363,000.

And Morgan Stanley ? The firm is expected to have $11 - $14bn to play with, which could translate to as much as $340,000 per employee, up from $262,000 last year.

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