Retirement

[cryesis]

Whats everyones retirement plans look like as a career pilot? What sector do you work in and what does your employer offer?.....This seems to be a topic that none really seems to talk about when they look at a career as a pilot.

[Azhigher]

Matching 401k @ work (200% match up to 3%) and a roth IRA on my own. Load those suckers up, you never know when your medical will give out.

[avbug]

What's this "retirement" thing of which you speak?

[Eric Hunt]

Azhigher, you get $401k per year?

 

Beat me by $1k you rat....

[edspilot]

Retirement:

 

Plan, Plan & Execution!

 

Having said that, now the action must take place to have any chance at it.

 

Option 1: Do nothing. Sadly, the most used....

 

Option 2: Work for a company that has a 401k w/matching of some % and put at least the amount matched. (doubles your money) Save some extra in something that you can get to in case something happens. If you are lucky and never need it, great, more saved.

 

Option 3: Fly for a government agency (Fed, State, County, City) that has a defined retirement system. These are good jobs that pay good, not the best but are secure with good other benefits. Understand, like military, during your career, you may have to get out of flying from time to time, to "move" in the organization in order to secure a better retirement. Then return to flying after retirement from that position.

 

Option 4: Work (not fly) for a government agency or company that has a good mixture of what you might want in your future. (retirement, schedule, location, job function...) Then you maybe could fly on the side or part-time to stay in aviation. the money will probably be better here and you can do more of the "pick & choose" flying.

 

With Options 3 & 4, when you do retire, you could maybe fly full-time again.

 

Understand, that in today's world, you will be seeing less & less of the definded pensions and probably only with the governments.

 

So, in short, it is like others have said, it is up to you!

 

A twist on the old 6 Ps. 5 Ps & R......

 

Prior

Proper

Planning

Prevents

Poor

Retirement

 

Good Luck,

 

edspilot

[r22butters]

If there's one thing The Great Recession taught me, its that the plans you had yesterday probably won't be there tomorrow!

 

 

I'm with Homer!

[Wally]

There is life after flying. I retired at the end of last July. No pension, just a 401K, Previously Gulf of Mexico, retired from HEMS.

401K were the only protected game in town when I started, but I made some good calls and hung in. Learned over the years that I am not a real estate mogul (my family does very well in this, so I am kinda "special" in their eyes).

Max out your employer match, look at Roths and invest, invest, invest.

[AS350 pilot]

Find a rich woman with a bad cough but a healthy bank account! Or maybe work for a state agency? Uber?

[edspilot]

Another thought:

 

"Life, is what happens after, you make plans!"

 

Be safe,

 

edspilot