如果你收到公司通知,成為了大規模裁員的對象之一,那么你就有必要立即制定計劃,為下崗之后即將出現的重大經濟狀況變化做好準備。
被裁之后在資金管理方面應注意的五件事情
根據《職工調整與再培訓通知法》(Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act),某些公司,比如員工規模超過100名的公司,如果其員工的工作會因為大規模裁員或工廠關閉而受到影響,則至少應該提前60天告知員工。提前告知的初衷便是讓員工能夠有時間做好失業期間個人財務方面的準備。
失業后,管理自身資金的一些最佳方式包括:聯系公司人力資源部門,索要可行的遣散費方案;申請失業救助,以補充自己的應急儲蓄金;以及制定保險和401(K)計劃應對策略。人們還有必要評估當前的開支習慣,并在顆粒無收之時削減不必要的開支。
聯系人力資源部門
當你成為裁員對象之后,你的雇主會通知你是否有資格獲得遣散補償方案,該方案會列出解聘的資金補償條款,包括按照員工被裁之前在該公司工作年限計算的遣散費和福利,還可能包括未使用的帶薪假期或員工尋找新工作的補貼。
大多數雇員并沒有意識到,遣散補償方案與聘用方案一樣,都是可以協商的。例如,如果你認為自己的應得補償高于公司提供的補償,你也能夠要求公司提高補償。你的雇主可以同意你的要求,也能夠讓公司按照最初的方案金額發放。
在接受之前,人們有必要認真地審核其遣散補償方案,并了解其條款。接受遣散補償協議可能意味著放棄以不當解聘為由起訴公司,或申請失業保險。通常,人們在接受協議之前有21天的考慮期。
值得一提的是,沒有聯邦或州法律要求雇主給雇員提供遣散補償,除非員工加入了工會,或員工的聘用合同中列明了這一點。
申請失業保險
在失業之后,失業保險可以在你尋找新工作時幫助補充你的應急儲蓄。你所在的州可能需要數周的時間來批準你的申請,因此,人們有必要在得知即將失業之時盡快申請該保險。
失業保險的資質要求和申請批準時限會根據申請人所在州的不同而發生變化,但各州往往對員工在某個公司的工作年限或收入金額有最低要求。你所在的州可能會使用這一信息來計算你的應得福利。
大多數州會提供高達26周的失業金,并要求希望繼續獲取失業金的人每周進行申報。一些州還可能會提出額外的資質要求,包括在領取補助時積極尋找新工作。因此,在申請之前請了解所在州的申領資質要求。
更新保險計劃
如果你的保險計劃是由雇主代繳的,那么你的保險福利通常在被裁后就會終止。
作為應對舉措,聯邦政府出臺了《統一綜合預算協調法案》(Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act),在員工被裁之后限時延長員工獲取前雇主醫療保險的時限,通常最多延長36個月。然而,按照《統一綜合預算協調法案》,下崗員工需要支付一筆保險費用,并另行支付2%的管理費,才有資格獲取保險,其價格通常高于普通的保險計劃。
如果不愿意為了延長當前的保險而支付高額費用,那么人們可能就有資格使用《平價醫療法案》(Affordable Care Act)提供的保險,該法案征收的保費更低,通常以收入水平為基礎計算。如果失業員工不滿26歲,還可以使用配偶或父母的保險。
評估401(k)計劃
在失業之后評估如何處理401(K)計劃時,有多個做法能夠考慮,包括將資金留在當前計劃,將你的計劃轉存至新雇主或個人退休賬戶,或全部取現。不同的選擇可能會產生額外的稅賦。
維持當前的計劃:如果你的401(K)計劃賬戶中的金額達到了5,000美元或以上,你就可以將資金留在當前的計劃。即便你獲準保留該計劃,但你在72歲之前將無法再繳納或提取資金。等到了72歲,無論你是在工作還是退休,你都得從計劃中領取最低的分配額。
這意味著,如果你希望繼續在退休前往里面存錢,你就必須開設新的401(K)計劃或個人退休賬戶。此外,如果在下崗后出現經濟緊張的狀況,你將無法使用你的退休儲蓄金。
將計劃轉存至新雇主:如果你在下崗后找到了新工作,那么你就能夠以相對簡單的方式,通過聯系此前計劃的管理方,并完成要求的手續,將前雇主的計劃轉存至新雇主的計劃,Mountain Wealth Planning的注冊金融策劃師艾米·濱崎說道。
需要注意的是,你的新401(K)計劃可能擁有不同的規則、投資選項和費用。在決定轉存資金之前請認真評估新雇主的計劃,以確保它可以符合你的投資需求。
將你的計劃轉存至個人退休賬戶:如果你并不希望使用新雇主的401(K)計劃,或新雇主并不提供類似計劃,那么你就能夠通過聯系你的前計劃管理機構,并要求它們將資金支付給個人退休賬戶管理機構,從而將退休儲蓄金轉移至個人退休賬戶。
你可以選擇羅斯個人退休賬戶(Roth IRA)和傳統個人退休賬戶,但此舉可能會帶來額外的稅賦。例如,如果你的退休儲蓄金在傳統的401(K)計劃中屬于延遲納稅,那么轉存至羅斯個人退休賬戶將被視作應稅行為。
直接取現:如果你沒有應急儲蓄金,而且馬上需要使用現金,你也能夠把錢從你的401(K)計劃中取出來。然而,這應該作為你在評估其他方法之后的最后一個手段,因為你必須支付普通收入所得稅,而且如果你的歲數沒有達到59.5歲,還得額外支付10%的提前取現罰金。
你還會損失資金原本在投資退休賬戶過程中累積的所有復利,而且從長期來看會對你的整個退休儲蓄金帶來負面影響。濱崎稱:“在將401(K)計劃變現之后,要達到此前水平所需的時間要長得多。”
削減開支
制定簡單的預算并貫徹執行。如果你在被裁后依靠應急儲蓄或可變收益來維持生活,你就應該評估自己的開支,并將其分為三個大類,以幫助削減不必要的開支。
必需項:很大一部分預算應該被用于支付賬單,包括你的抵押貸款或租金支付、水電費、食物、燃油、最低還款額以及保險。這其中還包括學生貸款還款,但目前已經暫停,可以延期至2023年6月30日。
換句話說,你的必需項包括每個月的固定支出。這些支出應該成為你的首要考慮事項,尤其是在資金有限的情況下。
個人喜好項:預算的一小部分能夠用于購買你想要購買的物品,比如在假日期間回家探望家人,或者購買新服裝參加工作面試。然而,如果你近期成為了被裁對象,則應該減少自己以往在自由支配開支方面的花費。
濱崎表示:“我們首先必須考慮支付固定支出,因為在失業后,人們真的得勒緊褲腰帶過日子。”這可能意味著在家做飯而不是去豪華餐廳,或者重新調整自己的假日購物計劃。
儲蓄和償還債務:如果手頭沒有潛在的新工作,人們可能就得一邊找新工作,一邊延長應急儲蓄的使用時間。如果出現這種情況,則應該把手頭所有剩余資金放回儲蓄中,以供今后使用。此外,如果你有信用卡或消費貸債務,不妨在最低還款額的基礎上償還更多的資金,以降低利息費用。
如果預算允許,不妨考慮采用50/30/20準則,也就是將50%的稅后收入用于必需項開支,將30%用于個人喜好項,20%用于儲蓄或減債。
例如,如果你的應急儲蓄可以應付6個月的開支,每個月共計花費4,000美元。則應把2,000美元用于固定支出,1,200美元用于個人喜好項,800美元用于儲蓄或減債。
要點
如果雇主提前通知你,你的工作會受到大規模裁員的影響,那么你就有必要立即制定財務計劃,以便為失業帶來的各種變化做好準備。
充分評估你的遣散補償方案,不要害怕協商相關條款,比如根據《統一綜合預算協調法案》要求對醫療保險福利進行延期,以避免支付高昂保險費。如果你的雇主并不提供遣散補償,則能夠考慮申請失業保險,以滿足自身眼下的財務需求。
濱崎說:“很少有雇主希望其員工與其商討[遣散補償方案]。如果他們感到此舉將讓其陷入不利的境地,不管是法律責任還是因為你的被迫離職感到后悔,那么你就會擁有更大的話語權和協商余地?!保ㄘ敻恢形木W)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
2022年,為了應對創數十年來新高的通脹率以及隨即可能出現的經濟衰退,科技和媒體行業的多家巨頭,例如推特(Twitter)、Meta和微軟(Microsoft),均宣布了大規模的裁員計劃。包括食品、交通和零售在內的其他行業則相繼效仿,員工也開始擔心自己的工作是否會受到影響。
如果你收到公司通知,成為了大規模裁員的對象之一,那么你就有必要立即制定計劃,為下崗之后即將出現的重大經濟狀況變化做好準備。
被裁之后在資金管理方面應注意的五件事情
根據《職工調整與再培訓通知法》(Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act),某些公司,比如員工規模超過100名的公司,如果其員工的工作會因為大規模裁員或工廠關閉而受到影響,則至少應該提前60天告知員工。提前告知的初衷便是讓員工能夠有時間做好失業期間個人財務方面的準備。
失業后,管理自身資金的一些最佳方式包括:聯系公司人力資源部門,索要可行的遣散費方案;申請失業救助,以補充自己的應急儲蓄金;以及制定保險和401(K)計劃應對策略。人們還有必要評估當前的開支習慣,并在顆粒無收之時削減不必要的開支。
聯系人力資源部門
當你成為裁員對象之后,你的雇主會通知你是否有資格獲得遣散補償方案,該方案會列出解聘的資金補償條款,包括按照員工被裁之前在該公司工作年限計算的遣散費和福利,還可能包括未使用的帶薪假期或員工尋找新工作的補貼。
大多數雇員并沒有意識到,遣散補償方案與聘用方案一樣,都是可以協商的。例如,如果你認為自己的應得補償高于公司提供的補償,你也能夠要求公司提高補償。你的雇主可以同意你的要求,也能夠讓公司按照最初的方案金額發放。
在接受之前,人們有必要認真地審核其遣散補償方案,并了解其條款。接受遣散補償協議可能意味著放棄以不當解聘為由起訴公司,或申請失業保險。通常,人們在接受協議之前有21天的考慮期。
值得一提的是,沒有聯邦或州法律要求雇主給雇員提供遣散補償,除非員工加入了工會,或員工的聘用合同中列明了這一點。
申請失業保險
在失業之后,失業保險可以在你尋找新工作時幫助補充你的應急儲蓄。你所在的州可能需要數周的時間來批準你的申請,因此,人們有必要在得知即將失業之時盡快申請該保險。
失業保險的資質要求和申請批準時限會根據申請人所在州的不同而發生變化,但各州往往對員工在某個公司的工作年限或收入金額有最低要求。你所在的州可能會使用這一信息來計算你的應得福利。
大多數州會提供高達26周的失業金,并要求希望繼續獲取失業金的人每周進行申報。一些州還可能會提出額外的資質要求,包括在領取補助時積極尋找新工作。因此,在申請之前請了解所在州的申領資質要求。
更新保險計劃
如果你的保險計劃是由雇主代繳的,那么你的保險福利通常在被裁后就會終止。
作為應對舉措,聯邦政府出臺了《統一綜合預算協調法案》(Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act),在員工被裁之后限時延長員工獲取前雇主醫療保險的時限,通常最多延長36個月。然而,按照《統一綜合預算協調法案》,下崗員工需要支付一筆保險費用,并另行支付2%的管理費,才有資格獲取保險,其價格通常高于普通的保險計劃。
如果不愿意為了延長當前的保險而支付高額費用,那么人們可能就有資格使用《平價醫療法案》(Affordable Care Act)提供的保險,該法案征收的保費更低,通常以收入水平為基礎計算。如果失業員工不滿26歲,還可以使用配偶或父母的保險。
評估401(k)計劃
在失業之后評估如何處理401(K)計劃時,有多個做法能夠考慮,包括將資金留在當前計劃,將你的計劃轉存至新雇主或個人退休賬戶,或全部取現。不同的選擇可能會產生額外的稅賦。
維持當前的計劃:如果你的401(K)計劃賬戶中的金額達到了5,000美元或以上,你就可以將資金留在當前的計劃。即便你獲準保留該計劃,但你在72歲之前將無法再繳納或提取資金。等到了72歲,無論你是在工作還是退休,你都得從計劃中領取最低的分配額。
這意味著,如果你希望繼續在退休前往里面存錢,你就必須開設新的401(K)計劃或個人退休賬戶。此外,如果在下崗后出現經濟緊張的狀況,你將無法使用你的退休儲蓄金。
將計劃轉存至新雇主:如果你在下崗后找到了新工作,那么你就能夠以相對簡單的方式,通過聯系此前計劃的管理方,并完成要求的手續,將前雇主的計劃轉存至新雇主的計劃,Mountain Wealth Planning的注冊金融策劃師艾米·濱崎說道。
需要注意的是,你的新401(K)計劃可能擁有不同的規則、投資選項和費用。在決定轉存資金之前請認真評估新雇主的計劃,以確保它可以符合你的投資需求。
將你的計劃轉存至個人退休賬戶:如果你并不希望使用新雇主的401(K)計劃,或新雇主并不提供類似計劃,那么你就能夠通過聯系你的前計劃管理機構,并要求它們將資金支付給個人退休賬戶管理機構,從而將退休儲蓄金轉移至個人退休賬戶。
你可以選擇羅斯個人退休賬戶(Roth IRA)和傳統個人退休賬戶,但此舉可能會帶來額外的稅賦。例如,如果你的退休儲蓄金在傳統的401(K)計劃中屬于延遲納稅,那么轉存至羅斯個人退休賬戶將被視作應稅行為。
直接取現:如果你沒有應急儲蓄金,而且馬上需要使用現金,你也能夠把錢從你的401(K)計劃中取出來。然而,這應該作為你在評估其他方法之后的最后一個手段,因為你必須支付普通收入所得稅,而且如果你的歲數沒有達到59.5歲,還得額外支付10%的提前取現罰金。
你還會損失資金原本在投資退休賬戶過程中累積的所有復利,而且從長期來看會對你的整個退休儲蓄金帶來負面影響。濱崎稱:“在將401(K)計劃變現之后,要達到此前水平所需的時間要長得多。”
削減開支
制定簡單的預算并貫徹執行。如果你在被裁后依靠應急儲蓄或可變收益來維持生活,你就應該評估自己的開支,并將其分為三個大類,以幫助削減不必要的開支。
必需項:很大一部分預算應該被用于支付賬單,包括你的抵押貸款或租金支付、水電費、食物、燃油、最低還款額以及保險。這其中還包括學生貸款還款,但目前已經暫停,可以延期至2023年6月30日。
換句話說,你的必需項包括每個月的固定支出。這些支出應該成為你的首要考慮事項,尤其是在資金有限的情況下。
個人喜好項:預算的一小部分能夠用于購買你想要購買的物品,比如在假日期間回家探望家人,或者購買新服裝參加工作面試。然而,如果你近期成為了被裁對象,則應該減少自己以往在自由支配開支方面的花費。
濱崎表示:“我們首先必須考慮支付固定支出,因為在失業后,人們真的得勒緊褲腰帶過日子?!边@可能意味著在家做飯而不是去豪華餐廳,或者重新調整自己的假日購物計劃。
儲蓄和償還債務:如果手頭沒有潛在的新工作,人們可能就得一邊找新工作,一邊延長應急儲蓄的使用時間。如果出現這種情況,則應該把手頭所有剩余資金放回儲蓄中,以供今后使用。此外,如果你有信用卡或消費貸債務,不妨在最低還款額的基礎上償還更多的資金,以降低利息費用。
如果預算允許,不妨考慮采用50/30/20準則,也就是將50%的稅后收入用于必需項開支,將30%用于個人喜好項,20%用于儲蓄或減債。
例如,如果你的應急儲蓄可以應付6個月的開支,每個月共計花費4,000美元。則應把2,000美元用于固定支出,1,200美元用于個人喜好項,800美元用于儲蓄或減債。
要點
如果雇主提前通知你,你的工作會受到大規模裁員的影響,那么你就有必要立即制定財務計劃,以便為失業帶來的各種變化做好準備。
充分評估你的遣散補償方案,不要害怕協商相關條款,比如根據《統一綜合預算協調法案》要求對醫療保險福利進行延期,以避免支付高昂保險費。如果你的雇主并不提供遣散補償,則能夠考慮申請失業保險,以滿足自身眼下的財務需求。
濱崎說:“很少有雇主希望其員工與其商討[遣散補償方案]。如果他們感到此舉將讓其陷入不利的境地,不管是法律責任還是因為你的被迫離職感到后悔,那么你就會擁有更大的話語權和協商余地。”(財富中文網)
譯者:馮豐
審校:夏林
Several major corporations in tech and media industries, such as Twitter, Meta, and Microsoft, have announced massive layoffs in 2022 in response to decades-high inflation rates that hint toward the possibility of a recession. Other industries including food, transportation, and retail have followed suit, which leaves workers wondering if their role will be impacted.
If you were informed that your job is among those impacted by a mass layoff, it’s important to create a plan right away so you can prepare for the major financial changes that come with being laid off.
5 things to do with your money when you’re laid off
Certain businesses—such as those that employ 100-plus workers—are required to provide employees a minimum of 60 days’ notice that their role will be impacted by a mass layoff or plant closing under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. The hope in providing advance notice is that employees have time to prepare themselves financially in the event they are unemployed for a period of time.
Some of the best ways to manage your money after a layoff include contacting your human resources department for available severance packages, filing for unemployment to supplement your emergency savings, and having a strategy for dealing with your insurance and 401(k) plans. It’s also important to review your current spending habits and cut back unnecessary purchases while you are without income.
Contact HR
When you are laid off, your employer will inform you whether you will be entitled to a severance package which outlines the financial terms of your termination. This generally includes severance pay and benefits based on how long you were employed by your company before you were laid off. It also may include unused paid time off or assistance in finding a new job.
Most employees are unaware that severance packages can be negotiated the same way an employment offer can be. For instance, if you believe you are entitled to a larger severance payment than your company is offering, you may make a request to increase the payout. Your employer has the option to agree to your offer or hold firm on the original payout amount.
It’s important to throroughly review your severance package and understand the terms of the agreement before accepting it. Accepting your severance agreement may waive your right to file a wrongful termination suit or file for unemployment insurance. Typically, you will have up to 21 days to accept the agreement.
It’s important to note that there is no federal or state law that requires employers to provide employees with a severance package—unless you belong to a union or your employment contract states otherwise.
File for unemployment insurance
If you are laid off, unemployment insurance can help supplement your emergency savings while you look for a new job. It may take up to several weeks for your state to approve your application, so it is important to apply as soon as possible once you know your role will be terminated.
Unemployment insurance eligibility requirements and application approval timelines vary depending on which state you reside in, but it is typical for states to require you to have worked for a minimum amount of time or made a minimum amount of income to qualify. Your state may also use this information to calculate how much benefit you qualify for.
Most states provide unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks and require you to file a weekly claim to continue receiving payments. Some states may also have additional qualification requirements, including that you actively look for new employment while you receive the benefit. Review your state’s eligibility requirements before applying.
Update your insurance plans
If your insurance plans are through your employer, your insurance benefits typically end when you are laid off.
To combat this, the federal government created the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act?(COBRA) to provide extended access to your previous employer’s health care plan for a limited time after you are laid off, usually lasting up to 36 months. But, you are required to pay a premium and an additional 2% administrative fee to qualify for insurance under COBRA, which usually is more expensive than a typical insurance plan.
Instead of paying high fees to extend your current coverage, you may be eligible to enroll in coverage under the Affordable Care Act, which typically offers lower premiums based on your income level. You may also qualify for coverage under a spouse’s or parent’s plan—if you are under 26 years old.
Review your 401(k) plan
There are several options to consider when evaluating what to do with your 401(k) plan when you are laid off, including leaving the funds in your current plan, rolling your plan over to a new employer or IRA, or cashing out entirely. Depending on which you choose, there may be additional tax implications.
Stick with your current plan: If you have $5,000 or more in your 401(k) plan, you may be able to leave the funds in your current plan. Even though you are allowed to keep the plan, you will no longer be able to contribute or withdraw funds until you hit age 72, which is when you will be required to take minimum distributions from the plan regardless of your employment or retirement status.
This means you will have to open a new 401(k) plan or IRA if you want to continue saving toward retirement. Additionally, you will not be able to dip into your retirement savings if you face financial turmoil while you are laid off.
Roll over your plan to a new employer: If you find a new job after being laid off, you can roll over your previous employer’s plan into your new employer’s plan relatively easily by contacting your previous plan’s administrator and completing required paperwork, says Amy Hamasaki, certified financial planner at Mountain Wealth Planning.
It’s important to note that your new 401(k) plan may have different rules, investment options, and fees. Review your new employer’s plan thoroughly to ensure it aligns your investment needs before deciding to rollover your funds.
Roll over your plan to an IRA: If you don’t want to use your new employer’s 401(k) plan or it does not offer one, you can transfer your retirement savings into an IRA by contacting your previous plan’s administrator and requesting they disburse the funds to your IRA administrator.
You can choose between a Roth IRA and a traditional IRA, but there may be additional tax consequences in doing so. For instance, if your retirement savings have been growing tax-deferred in your traditional 401(k) plan, a Roth IRA rollover would be considered a taxable event.
Cash out your plan: If you do not have an emergency savings built up and are in immediate need of cash, you may be able to cash out the funds from your 401(k). But this should be a last resort after evaluating other alternatives since you will be required to pay ordinary income taxes on the funds and an additional 10% early withdrawal penalty if you have not reached age 59?.
You also lose out on any compounding interest you would have accumulated if the funds remained invested in a retirement account and will adversely affect your overall retirement savings in the long run. “If you cash out of a 401(k), it is going to take you a lot longer to catch up to where you once were,” says Hamasaki.
Dial back on spending
Create a simple budget and stick to it. If you are living off your emergency savings or a variable income to support you following a layoff, you should review your expenses and break them down into three major categories to help you dial back on unnecessary spending.
Must-haves: A significant portion of your budget should be allocated to paying your bills, which include your mortgage or rent payments, utilities, food, gas, minimum loan payments, and insurance. This also includes student loan payments, which are currently on pause until no later than June 30, 2023.
In other words, your must-haves include your fixed expenses that you pay every month. These expenses should be your main priority, especially if you have limited funds.
Wants: A smaller portion of your budget may go toward paying for things you want, such as traveling home to visit your family during the holidays or purchasing a new outfit to attend a job interview. But you should reduce the amount you typically spend on discretionary expenses if you have recently been laid off.
“We’re really focusing on paying off the fixed expenses first because when the sky is falling down, you want to really tighten your belt a little bit,” says Hamasaki. This might mean eating in instead of going out to lavish restaurants or readjusting your holiday shopping plans.
Savings and paying off debt: If you do not have a job lined up, you may need to stretch your emergency savings to last a longer period of time while you search for a new role. If this is the case, it may be beneficial to put any excess back into your savings for a later date. Additionally, if you have credit card or consumer loan debt, you might want to make additional payments beyond your minimum payment to reduce interest charges.
If your budget allows, consider following the 50/30/20 rule, which allocates 50% of your after-tax income to must-have expenses, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings or paying down debt.
For instance, let’s say you have six months of expenses saved up in your emergency savings, totaling $4,000 per month. You should spend $2,000 on your fixed expenses, $1,200 on wants, and $800 on savings or paying down debt.
The takeaway
If your employer has given you advance notice that your job will be impacted by a mass layoff, it’s important to create a financial plan right away so you can be prepared for the changes that come along with losing your job.
Thoroughly review your severance package and don’t be afraid to negotiate the terms, such as requesting an extension of your health insurance benefits to avoid paying high premiums under COBRA. If your employer will not be providing severance pay, consider applying for unemployment insurance to meet your immediate financial needs.
“Not too many employers expect anyone to negotiate with them [on their severance package],” says Hamasaki. “But if they feel that this is putting them in a precarious situation, whether it’s a legal liability or they feel remorseful that they had to let you go, there could be more room for power and negotiation.”