Leaving a job? Don't rush the 401(k).
When you leave a Houston employer, you generally have four choices for your 401(k): leave it, roll it to your new plan, roll it to an IRA, or cash out. Each has tax consequences and tradeoffs. I help you compare them honestly before you sign any paperwork.
At a glance
- Best for
- Recently retired, changing jobs, or holding old 401(k) accounts
- Format
- In-person Houston · Virtual where licensed
- First step
- Complimentary intro call · 5–45 min
- Coordinates with
- Your CPA, attorney, plan administrator
Situations I see most often.
- You've retired or changed employers in Houston and have a 401(k) to deal with.
- You hold employer stock inside the 401(k) and want to evaluate NUA.
- You have multiple old 401(k)s scattered across former employers.
- You're considering a rollover but not sure if the new option is actually better.
- Your old plan has institutional share classes and you want a fair comparison.
What the engagement covers.
- Side-by-side comparison: leave / roll-to-new-plan / roll-to-IRA / cash out.
- Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) analysis on employer stock.
- Cost comparison: expense ratios, fees, share classes.
- Beneficiary review on both old and new account.
- Roth and pre-tax tracking across rollovers.
- Tax-withholding coordination on the rollover transaction.
A measured approach, in clear steps.
Plan document review
We pull your Summary Plan Description and current statement and identify any features (NUA-eligible stock, after-tax contributions, special early-retirement provisions) that might be lost in a rollover.
Side-by-side comparison
I produce a written comparison of all four options, including realistic costs, investment access, and creditor protection differences.
Decision conversation
We talk through the tradeoffs together. You decide. I document the rationale.
Paperwork
If you decide to roll, I handle the request and coordinate the trustee-to-trustee transfer to avoid withholding mistakes.
Position the receiving account
Allocations are set, beneficiaries confirmed, automatic contributions or distributions scheduled if needed.
Common Houston rollovers.
Houston rollovers I see frequently include plans from ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, SLB (Schlumberger), Phillips 66, ConocoPhillips, BP, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, and the federal Thrift Savings Plan for NASA / JSC employees. Each plan has features — concentrated stock, after-tax buckets, deferred comp — that should be evaluated before any rollover request is filed.
Plain-English answers.
Is rolling to an IRA always the right move?
What is NUA and why does it matter?
How long does a rollover take?
Do I pay taxes on a rollover?
Can I roll a 401(k) to a Roth IRA?
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Let's talk about your situation,
not a generic plan.
The first conversation is complimentary — anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes, your call. No pitch, no pressure. We'll cover what you have, what concerns you, and whether working together makes sense.