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Critical Publix Retirement Considerations

You've got questions, we have answers

IF YOU'RE LIKE MOST OF THE PUBLIX ASSOCIATES WE'VE WORKED WITH, YOU'VE PROBABLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT LIFE AFTER PUBLIX.


But have you actually spent time planning for the day you leave the store or warehouse for the last time?

But have you actually spent time planning for the day you leave the store or warehouse for the last time?

Truth is, many people spend more time planning their next vacation, than they spend planning their retirement.

At the same time, chances are, most - if not all of your retirement assets have been set aside and managed by the company in your Profit Plan. While you've been busy doing what you do, Publix has been providing this essential benefit for your future.

And at some crossover point in the future, Publix will hand the responsibility over to you, and on that day you will need to make one of the largest financial decisions you'll ever make.

For over 20 years, our knowledge and experience has helped Publix Associates like you navigate through critical planning decisions while helping you understand how they apply to you.

If this sounds like the type of advice you're looking for, contact us today to schedule a no obligation initial consultation

YES, I would like to schedule a complementary call with Mike

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Article: The 4 distribution options for your Publix Profit and 401(k) Smart Plans

When you retire from Publix, you essentially have 4 distribution options for your retirement plans.

In this article, we go deep into Option 1 - Rolling your stock into an IRA and holding it there.

FAQ's

Here are a few of the questions we've been asked over the years, and beliefs Publix Associates have expressed that may or may not be accurate

"Can't I just leave my stock with Publix and live off the dividends?"

"Does your company hold Publix stock?"

"I want to keep my stock, so I'm going to roll it into an IRA so the IRS won't take half?"

"I waiting until I'm 59½ to retire so I don't pay a penalty."

"I can't retire until I'm 65 or I'll have to pay a penalty." (yes I've heard that one too)

"When I retire, I'm planning to take half and leave the other half at Publix."

"I've was told by another advisor I have to sell all my stock when I retire?"

"Publix has no debt."

"What about annuities (we get this one a lot)?"


Critical things to consider BEFORE you retire

Based on our experience and expertise, these are the most important things to consider when planning your retirement from Publix

Do I have enough money?

How much income can I receive from my stock/investment portfolio without worrying about eventually running out of money?

How long does it need to last?

What about inflation?

What kind of unforeseen expenses will I have?

How much will health care cost, especially before age 65?

When should I take Social Security?

What happens to my stock if something happens to me?

How much do I want to keep in Publix stock?

How much risk am I willing to take or do I need to take to reach my goals?

If I diversify all or a portion of my stock, am I taking more or less risk?

How much Publix stock have I purchased on my own?

What is the "cost basis" of the stock inside and outside of the ESOP?

What is the Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) of the stock in your ESOP and 401(k)?

If I choose to keep all or a portion of my distribution in Publix stock, are there any specific tax advantages to not rolling it into an IRA?

Do I want to pay taxes on any portion of my distribution now, or defer until later? 

If I choose to diversify my distribution, should I do it inside or outside an IRA?

If I choose to roll over my distribution into an IRA, how can I minimize the potential tax liability when it comes out?

What are the long-term implications of each of these choices on taxes, estate planning, income options, etc.?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of...

Rolling or not rolling my retirement distribution into an IRA?

Diversifying or not diversifying my retirement distribution?

When should I take distribution of my ESOP and 401(k) i.e. yr/month?

Do I need money immediately?

What is my age? Am I over 59½? Have I reached 55?

If so, did I separate from service before I turned 55?

What are my immediate income needs and my income needs in year 1 and 2 of retirement?

Publix' quarterly stock evaluations and re-pricing?

The distribution of dividends and the "dividend record date"?

Do I have to wait until I actually receive my dividend check before I retire? 

Inventory and Year End Bonuses?

Tax year considerations.

The 2 Decisions That Matter Most

1) How much Publix stock do you want to keep, and how much (if any) do you want to diversify?

2) If I choose to keep all or a portion of my stock, should I roll it into an IRA or not?

Once the decision is made, it cannot be reversed and determines virtually all of the following:

Once the decision is made, it cannot be reversed and determines virtually all of the following:

The amount of taxes and tax penalties you'll pay:

On your distribution

On any future growth

If and when you diversify

The amount of taxes your heirs will pay and how easy it will be to inherit

Where your retirement income will come from, and it's tax-ability

The amount of risk you're taking

Whether or not it will be protected from creditors (varies depending on which state you live in)

Whether or not you'll be forced to begin taking distributions at age 70½ (even if you don't need the money)*

The importance of this decision cannot be overstated. Remember, we are here to help you navigate through the maze of options as well as helping you make the most of what you've worked for

Why for you it may be age 55 and not 59½

What if you could access your ESOP and 401(k) at age 55 without paying the 10% penalty?

What if you could access your ESOP and 401(k) at age 55 without paying the 10% penalty?

One of the things we hear most often is "I'd like to retire but I need to keep working till I'm 59½, don't I?" This is usually because of the fear of the 10% tax penalty associated with their retirement distributions prior to 59½, or the belief that they simply can't access the proceeds. While their concerns are valid -- and for many people it simply makes more sense to wait -- there are others who have positioned themselves to seriously consider retiring before age 59½.*


The good news is we're here to help you determine which option is right for you! If you have reached age 55 and are still employed with Publix, your options may be better than you think. It's never to early to begin planning for Life After Publix

The Diversification Election

If you've been with Publix two or more decades...

If you've been with Publix two or more decades...

  • You've gotten up before dawn more times than you care to remember.
  • You're beginning to think about your retirement.
  • You have the majority of your retirement assets fully invested in Publix stock -  even your 401(k).
  • It's been an excellent investment over time but you realize -- even though its not actually in the market -- its not immune to market fluctuations.
  • You feel Publix stock is virtually risk free and you're completely unaware of some of the risks associated with the stock
  • You're wondering why the stock hasn't done better recently when the markets are so good.
  • You know you shouldn't have "all your eggs in one basket", but, you've been through declines in the price of the stock and its always come back.
  • You're thinking that if you experience a decline in the value of your stock, as long as you have 5 -- 10 years before you retire, you should be OK.

But what if a year or two before you retired, the stock market experienced an major decline and your ESOP dropped by 10% or 20% like it did in 2008? How would that impact your retirement plans??

The diversification election seeks to help you at least partially avoid this scenario.* 

* There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.

Have questions? Call us today to find out more.

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4 ways to find out more: 

  • Call or email us -- We're happy to hear from you
  • Attend a Life After Publix Workshop -- Our workshops are focused specifically on issues unique to Publix Associates and go much deeper into the topics mentioned here. You can register here or simply call our office.
  • Join our mailing list -- We regularly send out helpful information about the financial issues of the day and issues that specifically concern those people approaching retirement.
  • Check out our blog -- A deeper look at specific planning issues relevant to Publix Associates and general market commentary


So, what does Life after Publix look like for you? It all begins with a phone call.

In Central Florida at (407) 663-5020
From South Florida at (561) 237-5007

Email: michael@crossoverpnt.com

 *Important: the information contained in this section is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered personal advice.

While the information is believed to be accurate, it remains the sole responsibility of Publix Associates to contact the Retirement Department of Publix to obtain confirmation of it's accuracy prior to separating from service and taking distribution of their retirement accounts. It is also the sole responsibility of Publix Associates to contact their tax and legal advisors to confirm the accuracy of any tax or legal issues mentioned here that may be applicable to their particular situation. The information in this section may not be transferable to other corporate retirement plans and should be verified before applying to your individual situation.

RetireFromPublix.com, LifeAfterPublix.com, LPL Financial and Crossover Point Advisors are not endorsed by or owned by Publix Super Markets Inc.

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