Author Topic: K, hold my hand guys...newbie trying to allocate benefits  (Read 901 times)

barrelomonkeys

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 27
K, hold my hand guys...newbie trying to allocate benefits
« on: December 15, 2017, 09:03:33 AM »
DH is writing a grant to get his biotech startup funded, and we basically get to decide our own pay and benefits, within reason.  He wants to run a pretty lean company, and after talking with the board, it sounds like they're estimating somewhere around $75k for a salary + $16k for comparable benefits to his current postdoc (which includes good health insurance, AD&D, LTD, Term life, but no employer match for investing).

I've done all our finances since we got married 9 1/2 years ago, but nothing like this.  Guys, I was feeling pretty sophisticated when I opened up a couple of roths earlier this year instead of using taxable accounts (!!).  I do our taxes (with difficulty), but DH is hoping I can basically be our HR department.  The thing is, I have no idea whether to set up a SEP-IRA or a SIMPLE-IRA or even how to do it.  Would an employer match even make sense since we are paying ourselves essentially? I mean, how do I set up health insurance? (We've got 3 kids, so we need decent health insurance--the HSA we've had has been a pretty good deal). 

Can I even do this? Should I even do this?  Does anyone have an opinion about the line between salary and benefits? (more to salary or more to benefits?).

Thanks in advance.

barrelomonkeys

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 27
Re: K, hold my hand guys...newbie trying to allocate benefits
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2017, 09:06:57 AM »
Oh PS--DH is the only paid employee.  The CEO gets a cut if the company gets bought out (he's a failed retiree), and we might snag a grad student that DH works with when he gets out, but that's a few years off. 

walkwalkwalk

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 238
Re: K, hold my hand guys...newbie trying to allocate benefits
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2017, 09:28:01 PM »
You don't sound qualified. Find a decent accountant.

walkwalkwalk

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 238
Re: K, hold my hand guys...newbie trying to allocate benefits
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2017, 05:51:36 AM »
To be clear: You can become qualified by speaking to the right professional, however you are not qualified right now.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!