Author Topic: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!  (Read 4575 times)

PFHC

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 618
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Boston
  • Busy doing.
GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« on: October 16, 2015, 01:00:03 AM »
Get another!

Here's my deal:

Maxing out 401k, my wife's IRA, and my IRA. No option for HSA.

I have about $5000/month that I need something to do with. I have a plan up until early 2018. It's this:
  • Fix/upgrade my house. This is not for investment, but for life quality. Non-Mustachian, but we're doing it. Figuring $40k future investment on top of $20k already done. Would increase the value of the house $50k. So, a $10k loss. Could be worse.
  • When that is D-U-N, done, then pay off the house. Planned end date is March, 2018.
When that's all finished, I still have $5k/month I'd like to put somewhere that doesn't get annihilated by taxes. My work allows me 6 months of the year off (read my post about being a merchant mariner). In my time off, I could start a business doing odd jobs. Idea behind this was that I could then contribute to a SIMPLE/SEP IRA. The way I read it is that if I made at least $12k, I could max it out. Is this true? Can I open a SIMPLE/SEP IRA if I'm already employed by a company that offers a 401k? If not me, could we do it in my wife's name?

terran

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3796
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2015, 06:56:45 AM »
A SEP maxes out at $53k. You can put 20-25% of self employed earnings in (depending on business structure) so you need to make something like $265k to truly max it out.

There's also nothing wrong with investing in a taxable account. They can be quite tax efficient. See https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Principles_of_tax-efficient_fund_placement for tips.

Fishindude

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3075
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2015, 07:02:57 AM »
Great idea.
Many other benefits to having your own business also.

MDM

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 11477
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2015, 11:53:58 AM »
Can I open a SIMPLE/SEP IRA if I'm already employed by a company that offers a 401k
Googling that phrase returned http://www.doughroller.net/retirement-planning/sep-ira-for-the-part-time-self-employed-who-also-contribute-to-a-401k/ as the first result. :)

PFHC

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 618
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Boston
  • Busy doing.
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2015, 06:09:28 PM »
A SEP maxes out at $53k. You can put 20-25% of self employed earnings in (depending on business structure) so you need to make something like $265k to truly max it out.

There's also nothing wrong with investing in a taxable account. They can be quite tax efficient. See https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Principles_of_tax-efficient_fund_placement for tips.
Thanks for this link. Great stuff.

PFHC

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 618
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Boston
  • Busy doing.
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2015, 06:39:22 PM »
Can I open a SIMPLE/SEP IRA if I'm already employed by a company that offers a 401k
Googling that phrase returned http://www.doughroller.net/retirement-planning/sep-ira-for-the-part-time-self-employed-who-also-contribute-to-a-401k/ as the first result. :)
Nice! Amazing how Google do that! This is exactly what I was looking for. :)

PFHC

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 618
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Boston
  • Busy doing.
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2015, 06:42:16 PM »
Great idea.
Many other benefits to having your own business also.
Thanks. Looks it may work, too!

SwordGuy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8955
  • Location: Fayetteville, NC
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2015, 07:39:21 PM »
You could hunt for rental properties while at sea (or your spouse could do so) if you have internet connections available.  When you get ashore you could check them out, pick one, and fix it up before you head back out to sea.  $5k/ month would buy a nice rental property in my area for cash, including necessary repairs and an $10k dammit fund per property.

_Nico_

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 5
  • Age: 34
  • Location: San Francisco, CA
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #8 on: October 16, 2015, 08:22:45 PM »
One thing to note: I'm fairly certain you can only contribute funds to your SEP IRA that were made FROM your self employed work. Meaning any money from your merchant marine job doesn't qualify. Unless you do something like fund your side business with your extra money from your merchant marine job and pay yourself via that...but that's a big grey area and I'm not sure how legal that especially when it comes to using it for tax deferred accounts.

PFHC

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 618
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Boston
  • Busy doing.
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2015, 08:49:05 PM »
You could hunt for rental properties while at sea (or your spouse could do so) if you have internet connections available.  When you get ashore you could check them out, pick one, and fix it up before you head back out to sea.  $5k/ month would buy a nice rental property in my area for cash, including necessary repairs and an $10k dammit fund per property.
I have tossed this around a bunch. Just not sure I want to hassle with tenants when I'm out here...

PFHC

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 618
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Boston
  • Busy doing.
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #10 on: October 16, 2015, 08:50:01 PM »
One thing to note: I'm fairly certain you can only contribute funds to your SEP IRA that were made FROM your self employed work. Meaning any money from your merchant marine job doesn't qualify. Unless you do something like fund your side business with your extra money from your merchant marine job and pay yourself via that...but that's a big grey area and I'm not sure how legal that especially when it comes to using it for tax deferred accounts.
Ya, I was worried about this. The idea smacked of something fishy, that's why I posted it here.

terran

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3796
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2015, 09:15:28 PM »
One thing to note: I'm fairly certain you can only contribute funds to your SEP IRA that were made FROM your self employed work. Meaning any money from your merchant marine job doesn't qualify. Unless you do something like fund your side business with your extra money from your merchant marine job and pay yourself via that...but that's a big grey area and I'm not sure how legal that especially when it comes to using it for tax deferred accounts.
Ya, I was worried about this. The idea smacked of something fishy, that's why I posted it here.

Yeah, it's going to have to be income that shows up on schedule C. I don't think money you have invested in a business would qualify.

JZinCO

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 705
Re: GET A JOB!!! But, I already have one!
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2015, 11:04:25 PM »
One thing to note: I'm fairly certain you can only contribute funds to your SEP IRA that were made FROM your self employed work. Meaning any money from your merchant marine job doesn't qualify. Unless you do something like fund your side business with your extra money from your merchant marine job and pay yourself via that...but that's a big grey area and I'm not sure how legal that especially when it comes to using it for tax deferred accounts.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even if one is being fradulent, it's more or less zero sum. Let's say you earn $17.5K with the day job. You could report $17.5K in earnings on schedule C, then take an above the line deduction of $ 17.5K for a solo 401K contribution. On your 1040, it would appear you made 17.5K more, so you still end up paying taxes on that original 17.5K from the day job.
Essentially for any deduction for self employment retirement contributions, the money needs to originate independent of the day job.
edit: it's actually a loss because you would have to pay FICA taxes on the 17.5K... i think..
« Last Edit: October 19, 2015, 11:09:14 PM by JZinCO »