Financial planning for Halliburton employees

Written by Conner Young, Founder and Chief Compliance Officer, Baskets Capital. Series 7 and Series 66. Last reviewed November 13, 2026.

Short answer:

Baskets Capital is an independent, fee only fiduciary in the Austin area working with Halliburton employees and retirees across Texas on retirement income, company stock decisions, the health insurance gap before 65, and Roth conversion timing. Our fee schedule is published.

What Halliburton employees ask us about:

Whether to take NUA treatment on company stock before rolling the 401(k) over
How to handle a severance or separation package across two tax years
Whether the money supports retiring in the late fifties rather than at 62
Covering health insurance between separation and Medicare at 65
Reducing concentrated exposure to one company and one sector before retirement
Consolidating accounts left at prior energy employers

Your company stock decision:

If you hold employer stock inside your 401(k), net unrealized appreciation can let you pay ordinary income tax only on the original cost basis and have the growth taxed later at long term capital gains rates. It generally requires a lump sum distribution of the entire plan balance in one tax year after a qualifying event, and rolling everything into an IRA first usually ends the opportunity. It does not always win, and it cannot be undone.

Read the full NUA explanation

The retirement timing question:

Many energy professionals can afford to stop between 55 and 65. That window is the hardest stretch in retirement planning: too young for Medicare, often too early for Social Security, and living off pre tax money whose withdrawals set your health insurance subsidy and, later, your Medicare premium.

How do I cover health insurance before 65?The gap between retiring and Medicare is the single biggest obstacle to retiring early, and the rules got harder in 2026.When do I sign up for Medicare, and what is IRMAA?Miss the enrollment window and you can pay a penalty for life. Your income today sets your premium two years from now.

Check your own plan documents:

Benefit plans change, and the details of your match, vesting, pension, and distribution options are specific to your plan year and your employment terms. We read your actual plan documents with you rather than working from a generic summary. Bring your summary plan description to the first conversation.

Common questions:

Should I roll my 401(k) to an IRA when I leave?

Usually it simplifies things, but decide on any appreciated company stock first. Rolling the entire balance can eliminate NUA treatment permanently.

Can I retire before 65?

Often yes. The two hard parts are covering health insurance until Medicare and funding living expenses without a tax spike. That is a modeling question we work through with you.

Do you need my plan documents?

Yes. We work from your actual summary plan description and statements rather than a generic summary, because plan details change by year and by employment terms.

How are you paid?

Baskets Capital is fee only. Our compensation comes only from a percentage of the assets we manage, and our fee schedule is published.

I have been through more than one reduction in force cycle. How should that change my plan?

It argues for more flexibility and a larger cash reserve than a standard plan would carry. If there is a real chance your retirement date gets chosen for you, the plan has to work at the earlier date, not just the one you picked.