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United Airlines Pilot Specialists

Most advisors don't understand pilots.
We do.

Seven financial priorities for newly hired United pilots built on what actually moves the needle.

Click through to explore
01 / 07

Get the
foundation
right first.

Pay down flight school loans. $80K–$200K is common and needs a real plan.
Build a proper emergency fund before investing.
Don't over-commit financially early. Your base and schedule will change.
How We Help

Debt payoff modeling + cash flow structuring

Budgeting resources and frameworks to get your household numbers in order.
An exact monthly savings amount to hit your emergency fund target.
Detailed loan analysis: accelerated payoff vs. investing the difference.
02 / 07

Protect what
you're
building.

Get a simple estate plan in place. A will, power of attorney & medical directive are quick & easy.
Term Life Insurance is cheap and necessary if you have dependents. Don't rely on employer coverage alone.
Evaluate MetLife GVUL. It may be advantageous early in your career, but should be replaced by age 45.
How We Help

Insurance gap analysis + estate plan coordination

Referrals to estate planning attorneys or DIY options if you prefer.
A life insurance gap analysis: what you have vs. what you need, and why.
03 / 07

Build
tax-free capital
now.

Choose the HDHP and max your HSA every year. It's the best triple-tax vehicle you have.
Invest the HSA. Don't let it sit in cash.
Use the "shoebox strategy" — save receipts for out-of-pocket costs now, reimburse yourself tax-free later.
Prioritize HSA amounts over United's RHA/AHRA — those aren't inheritable.
How We Help

HSA setup + year-round benefits guidance

Benefits coaching year-round, with written communication every open enrollment.
Exact per-payroll amounts to create the right level of Active HRA/RHA spillover each year. 
Investment allocation recommendations for your HSA.
04 / 07 ⚡ Counterintuitive

United is already
doing the
heavy lifting.

Redirect today's cash flow to better uses.
B&C contributions (18% of pay) can grow to several million dollars over a full career. That alone can fund a strong retirement.
Avoid overfunding retirement at the expense of financial flexibility today.
 If you don't know what retirement will cost, you can't know when you've saved enough. 
How We Help

B&C projections + retirement income modeling

We show you, in today's dollars, what your PRAP could become funded by B&C alone.
We coach you away from a common mistake United pilots make: overfunding the PRAP.
05 / 07 ⚡ Advice you won't hear elsewhere

Stop funding
the PRAP.
Convert instead.

Between B&C amounts, pension income, Social Security, and RMDs, your future taxable income may already be substantial. Tax deferral makes it worse, not better. Converting while your tax bracket is lower can create valuable tax flexibility
Turn PRAP contributions off. Redeploy that cash to pay for Roth conversions instead.
Pension + Social Security + RMDs = your bracket in retirement may surprise you.
Use today's lower bracket to systematically build a tax-free future.
How We Help

Annual tax planning + Roth conversion execution

Bracket optimization, Roth conversion analyses, and withholding reviews every year.
We tell you exactly how much to convert and what estimated tax payments to make.
We execute conversions for you and walk you through in-PRAP Roth conversions directly.
06 / 07

Every dollar
needs a
job.

Eliminate debt and build stability before directing big dollars to investment accounts.
Build Roth and taxable savings in parallel. Both give you flexibility that tax-deferred amounts can't.
Your profit share bonus deserves a recurring plan — not a different decision every January.
How We Help

Cash flow architecture + annual benefits playbook

A written plan that tells you your next available dollar's best job.
Benefits recommendations specific to you.
07 / 07

Fly because
you want to.
Not because
you have to.

The pilots who love their careers at 55 are the ones who never felt financially obligated to it.
Keep fixed expenses manageable so you can reduce flying on your terms.
Maintain the cushion to change bases, transition early, or weather a furlough.
Use your seniority to design the life you want — not just log block hours.
How We Help

Scenario modeling + optionality

We model what it takes to have the real option to stop at 60 or 62.
Solve for various "what if" scenarios. Early retirement is usually more achievable than pilots expect.
Ready to build your plan?

Let's talk
about your
plan.

A 30-minute intro call is free and built entirely around your goals as a United pilot. We'll tell you exactly where we'd start.

Schedule a 30-Minute Intro Call

7Strategies covered
157+UAL pilot households
Important Disclosures

Important Disclosures. This material has been prepared by Solitude Financial Services, LLC ("SFS"), an SEC-registered investment adviser, for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.

The strategies described reflect general observations about United Airlines pilot compensation and benefit structures as understood at the time of publication. Benefit details, contribution limits, and plan terms are subject to change. Clients should verify current details directly with United Airlines or ALPA.

Solitude Financial Services, LLC is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. A copy of SFS's Form ADV Part 2 is available upon request or at adviserinfo.sec.gov.

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