RETIREMENT PLANNING
A change in jobs provides the opportunity to review taxes, benefits and regular expenses.
Consider taking advantage of a salary increase to invest more.
Starting a new job is a major life change—and a good time to reassess your financial life. It may also be an ideal time to ramp up your investment plan to build wealth for the future.
Several tasks may await you when you start a new job. You may need to select your benefits, assess your tax situation and—if you’re moving to a new city—make new living arrangements.
If your new position comes with a salary increase, it may also be an excellent time to assess your finances and devote more money to your investment plan.
Here are some of the considerations you may face with a new job:
1. Insurance
If your new employer offers insurance coverage like health, dental, vision and life insurance, you’ll need to decide which insurance plan is right for you and your family. If your spouse already has comprehensive insurance coverage through his or her employer, you might want to compare those plans with the new ones you’re being offered to see what coverage is the best and most cost-effective. While a job change gives you a reason to do this review immediately, it’s also a good idea to compare the multiple insurance offerings your family has available on an annual basis. If you’re happy with your spouse’s coverage, you might consider forgoing health insurance through your own employer to potentially increase your take-home pay. However, if your employer offers a cost-effective life insurance policy, you should consider enrolling in that to provide financial protection for your family.
2. Other benefits
Find out what other benefits may be available through your new employer. Can you get help with transportation or parking expenses? Does your employer offer a health savings plan? What about stock options? Are there any areas where you can receive discounts, like fitness center fees, movie tickets or other special events? You should find out as much as you can about the benefits available through your new employer to decide which may be useful for you.
If your new employer offers access to a credit union, be sure to look at interest rates, benefits and fees—the benefits of credit unions often more than compensate for the inconvenience of changing banks.
You may also have some work to do regarding your benefits back at your old job. If you have paid time off that you haven’t used, make sure to find out if your state requires your old employer to compensate you for unused PTO and alert your human resources department to ensure that you don’t leave that money behind.
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If your new employer offers a 401(k) plan, that’s an ideal way to build your investment and retirement savings. Generally, money contributed to a 401(k) is deducted from your taxable income, although you would be taxed later when you withdraw money during retirement.
Moreover, many firms with 401(k) plans will match your contributions up to a certain percentage. You should take full advantage of any match your company offers by contributing as much as you can—your employer’s matching contribution is free money that will grow tax-deferred. If your company offers a matching contribution of up to 5% percent of your pay, that’s the equivalent of a 5% raise. Try to contribute enough to take full advantage of the company match so that you’re not leaving any money on the table. Also check to see if your company has an automatic increase scheduled for contributions—usually done annually. If your company does this, if you start with the 5% contribution this year to get the company match, next year your contribution will be automatically increased—typically by 1%—to become a 6% of your income contribution.
If you also had a 401(k) at your old job, check to see whether your former employer requires you to close it out. They may not—but leaving your money in the 401(k) at your previous job might expose you to fees that were covered when you worked there but that your old employer won’t cover now that you’re no longer an employee. Consider, too, whether you want to keep track of multiple 401(k) plans; you may find it easier to roll your old plan into your new employer’s plan or into an IRA or Roth IRA you set up independently.
It’s important to look at your options when deciding whether to roll over. Compare the investment options, fees and expense, service options and features of the different plans. (See: 401(k) options to consider with a new job.)
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One of the biggest temptations with a new job and a bigger income is to start spending more money. You should resist this temptation.
Instead, adjust your budget in ways that help you save and invest more, perhaps by opening an IRA in addition to your 401(k), or starting a college savings plan if you have kids. (See: Pairing a Roth IRA with your 401(k).)
When you’re setting up direct deposit with your new employer, take the opportunity to set up automatic savings and investment transfers as well. If you already have an automated savings or investment plan, consider adjusting your contribution higher to take advantage of your higher income.
If you’re moving for work, you can’t avoid additional expenses. However, you can compare the costs of different options: for instance, renting a smaller, temporary home and storing some of your possessions until you find the right place to buy, rather than spending money on a long-distance house hunt.
If you’re moving to a more expensive city, you may be able balance out your housing expenses by relying on public transportation—especially if your employer offers help with transit costs. Even if you’re not moving, a new commute might offer the opportunity to adjust expenses like transportation and gym membership. You can take advantage of the new routine associated with your new job to reexamine expenses you’ve taken for granted and ask yourself if they’re still necessary.
A new job can be an exciting and challenging opportunity—as well as the perfect time to get your financial life in order.
The concepts presented are intended for educational purposes only. This information should not be considered investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy, or product.
The information provided is not intended as a source for tax, legal or accounting advice. Please consult with a legal and/or tax professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.
There may be benefits to leaving your account in your employer plan, if allowed. You will continue to benefit from tax deferral, there may be investment options unique to your plan, there is a possibility for loans, and distributions are penalty free if you terminate service at age 55+.
