Your plan, optimized
around your contract.
Southwest's defined-contribution structure pairs your deferrals with a company contribution. The planning is in the limits, the Roth mix, and the timing — not just "are you in the plan." Here's how I work it with the Southwest pilots I advise. (Plan-specific provisions vary; I work from your actual plan documents.)
The levers most pilots miss.
Plan to the limit that actually binds
When the company contribution is meaningful, the total annual-additions limit constrains you before the elective-deferral number does. We plan to the right one.
Use after-tax / in-plan Roth — if your plan allows it
Mega-backdoor capacity depends entirely on your plan's provisions. We confirm what your documents permit rather than assuming, then schedule conversions if it's available.
Roth vs. pre-tax by career stage
The right elective mix changes as pay grows. We model the crossover with your real income and revisit it annually.
Smooth variable pay into the limits
Premium and trip-trading income make a fixed election imprecise. We align deferrals to your real pay pattern.
Sequence income before the 65 deadline
Mandatory retirement is a hard date. We build the drawdown order years ahead so the transition is deliberate.
Two Southwest pilots,
different brackets, different timelines — should not run the same plan. Mine don't.