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Oct 8, 2008 3:11 pm

I have a client that has about 2 years until he retires.  We've got about 2 years of cash on hand, 600k (locked in) in VA's (would like to hold for 10 years), about 500k in moderately allocated mutual funds in a joint account and IRA's.

He has a 401k with 130k and an ESOP with 570k.

He can diversify 25% of the ESOP and move it into an IRA.  What might you recommend he do with about 142K?

Oct 8, 2008 4:16 pm

We don’t know nearly enough about your client to make a recommendation. Half is art and half is science. Why don’t you do what feels good?

Oct 8, 2008 7:05 pm
walking9:

We don’t know nearly enough about your client to make a recommendation. Half is art and half is science. Why don’t you do what feels good?

  Because whacking it in the office is inappropriate.
Oct 8, 2008 7:07 pm

Snags…thanks for the Laugh Of The Day.

Oct 8, 2008 7:11 pm

They say some women can get away with it, so I guess you're not one.

Oct 8, 2008 8:01 pm

He can diversify 25% of the ESOP and move it into an IRA.  What might you recommend he do with about 142K?

What is the gain on the stock? Do you understand why I'm asking the question?
Oct 8, 2008 8:45 pm

Ok, I got a few PMs about my last post, so let me just respond to my own questions and the point, I was trying to make with my question.

One needs to understand the concept of Net Unrealized Appreciation.  If he rolls this money into an IRA, it gets treated the same as any other IRA money.  It will continue to grow tax deferred and then be taxed as income when it is removed.   Instead, if the money is simply removed from the ESOP and not rolled into an IRA.  He would have to pay income tax on the cost basis, but all gains would only taxed at his capital gains rate.  If there isn't a gain, this isn't very helpful.  However, if there is a big gain, this can save a ton in taxes.  
Oct 8, 2008 10:02 pm

I would find 10 companies that you think will do well over the next 10 years and buy those stocks. Diversify them, but find some kind of theme – maybe 10 smart companies, or 10 companies that you expect to dominate their industries, something witha story.


Oct 8, 2008 11:05 pm

I would make sure those stocks have a high yield, just in case things stay flat. Price goes down, yield goes up (dividend is what it is) . The yield is something to talk about with your client, too, as it sweeps into the cash account. Dividends and yields are great things to focus on right now. Remember how American funds did around the turn of the century, first bad, then good. Value investing is usually your friend.

Oct 10, 2008 4:08 am

do what the guy in the Fidelity commercial wants “You could buy a nice car”?