Our Experience Working with Southwest Pilots, Employees, and Families
Smith Anglin Financial is proud to work side by side with Southwest pilots to provide retirement benefits planning. We’re specialists in Southwest Airlines’ 401k investment options and the performance of those options within the employer-provided retirement benefits plan. We’re also specialists in managing the tax issues for your deferred compensation components.
What You Should Know About Your Southwest Pilot Retirement Plan
Southwest Airlines’ Personal Choice Retirement Account (PCRA) is a managed brokerage account that resides within your 401(k) plan. It enables you to contribute retirement plan savings into an expanded range of investment choices. If managed properly, it can give you an incredible advantage when it comes to saving for retirement.
A qualified plan is an employer-sponsored retirement plan that satisfies requirements I the Internal Revenue Code for receiving tax-deferred treatment. These plans provided by Southwest are: your 401(k), Profit Sharing, and Market Based Cash Balance Plan.
A non-qualified plan is a type of tax-deferred, employer-sponsored retirement plan that falls outside of Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) guidelines. These plans allow Southwest to defer a greater amount for retirement than is permitted inside a qualified plan: 401(a)(17), Excess 415 Benefit, and Top Hat Plan.
When you enroll in these plans, you must elect how to receive the funds (as a lump sum or spread out over several years in installments). This decision is irrevocable, so you must plan wisely to avoid unnecessarily high tax payments.
Southwest has a variety of retirement accounts that receive contributions from you and the company. Our team has a clear understanding of these accounts and will provide insight on how to maximize the contributions that flow into them.
See the illustration below for more information.
Your Southwest Retirement Specialist
Weston Pollock
Partner & Wealth Advisor
(214) 616-2664 Mobile
(972) 267-1244 Office
Jack Snider
Wealth Advisor
(972) 730-4047 Mobile
(972) 267-1244 Office
I’m Nearing Retirement
I’m Early in Retirement Planning
Request Your Complimentary Retirement Plan Analysis
For pilots who are nearing retirement. We can help utilize your company-provided benefits, assess the pros and cons of each major decision as it relates to your specific circumstances, and most importantly, create a plan to help accomplish what matters most to you – enjoying the retirement you have worked so hard for.
What you can expect to see in your personalized Retirement Plan Analysis:
Retirement Cash Flow Projection
Tax Impact Analysis
Investment Strategy Evaluation
Specific Scenarios for Your Situation
To get started, please complete the simple form below
I’m Nearing Retirement
I’m Early in Retirement Planning
401K AutoPilot℠ Program
For pilots who are ready to optimize their financial future. If you are a pilot with a 401k balance under $500k, our 401K Autopilot Program is the solution we’ve created to help optimize your financial future. Our team will help you navigate the ever-changing capital markets landscape and set up a financially savvy flight plan to help accomplish what matters most to you – building a more secure financial picture for all the years ahead.
To get started, please complete the simple form below
Request Your Complimentary Retirement Plan Analysis
For pilots who are nearing retirement. We can help utilize your company-provided benefits, assess the pros and cons of each major decision as it relates to your specific circumstances, and most importantly, create a plan to help accomplish what matters most to you – enjoying the retirement you have worked so hard for.
What you can expect to see in your personalized Retirement Plan Analysis:
-
Retirement Cash Flow Projection
-
Tax Impact Analysis
-
Investment Strategy Evaluation
-
Specific Scenarios for Your Situation
401K AutoPilot℠ Program
For pilots who are ready to optimize their financial future. If you are a pilot with a 401k balance under $500k, our 401K Autopilot Program is the solution we’ve created to help optimize your financial future. Our team will help you navigate the ever-changing capital markets landscape and set up a financially savvy flight plan to help accomplish what matters most to you – building a more secure financial picture for all the years ahead.
A long history of providing honest, compassionate, and informative service. Read what our clients are saying.
All testimonials are provided by current clients of Smith Anglin Financial. Clients were not compensated for testimonials, direct or otherwise. To our knowledge, no other conflicts of interest exist regarding these testimonials.
Request Your 401k Autopilot℠ Program Digital Brochure
If you are a pilot with a 401k balance under $500k, our 401K Autopilot℠ Program is the solution we’ve created to help optimize your financial future. Our team will help you navigate the ever-changing capital markets landscape and set up a financially savvy flight plan to accomplish what matters most to you – building a more secure financial picture for all the years ahead. To learn more, request your digital brochure today!
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14755 Preston Road, Suite 700
Dallas, TX 75254
972.267.1244 local
800.301.8486 toll free
972.267.1243 fax
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About Smith Anglin Financial
Founded in 1967, Smith Anglin is a wealth management practice based in Dallas, Texas. As trusted financial stewards, we provide an elevated standard of care and manage over $1.9 billion in client assets* for a select group of pilots, families, individuals, and business owners in 48 states and abroad. With deep roots in accounting, tax planning and aviation retirement readiness, our mission is to conscientiously help secure the financial well-being of our clients over the course of their lives, working diligently to help them achieve their goals, dreams and financial security.
*Data current as of 6/16/2025
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Hightower Advisors, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Securities offered through Hightower Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. brokercheck.finra.org