Your Disney Benefits & Career: Financial Planning for Employees and Executives

Do you work at Disney? Get the resources you need and expert insights from financial professionals who specialize in helping Disney employees make the most of their compensation package and benefits.

Whether you’re a new Disney employee or you’ve moved up the ranks into a management or executive leadership role over a multi-year career, it’s important to make smart money moves with your income and employee benefits. For example:

✅ Do you know the right moves to make to get the greatest value from the Disney benefits available to you?

✅If you’re thinking about leaving Disney for another job or planning to retire from the company in a few years, are you taking the right steps today to ensure you will receive all of the compensation and benefits that you’ve earned?

Get the Most Value from Your Disney Benefits and Compensation Package

Throughout the year, Disney provides its employees and executives with updates about their benefits ranging from health insurance and health savings plans to retirement plans like a 401(k), deferred compensation plans, and stock options. While the company offers many useful resources and access to knowledgeable staff who can assist with questions, you’ll also find financial professionals not affiliated with Disney who specialize in helping Disney employees make the most of their income and benefits.

Whether you work in the Disney headquarters in Burbank, California, another office location around the country, or remotely from home, you may have questions about your compensation package and benefits better suited for a financial professional who can offer unbiased advice and guidance.

For example, sensitive topics like discussing the steps you should take before quitting your job at Disney to work elsewhere, protecting yourself in advance of a corporate layoff, or deciding when you should plan to retire are all conversations that may be more comfortable with a trusted financial advisor.

💡 In the Q&A below, you’ll gain insights from financial advisors who work with Disney employees to help them make smart decisions to get the most value from their compensation and benefits, reduce their money stress, and prepare for a comfortable retirement.

🙋‍♀️ Do you have questions not yet answered? Use the form below to submit questions anonymously and watch this article for updates with answers to your questions. You can also reach out to the financial advisors below to set up an introductory call or contact them with your questions by email.

💸 Smart Money Insights for Disney Employees & Executives

This page is organized into sections to help you quickly find the information you need and get answers to your questions:

1. Q&A: Financial Planning Tips for Disney Employees & Executives
2. Get Answers to Your Questions About Your Disney Benefits and Career
3. Quick Facts & Resources for Disney Employees
4. Browse Related Articles

Q&A: Financial Planning Tips for Disney Employees & Executives

Answers to Employee Questions with Hazel Secco, CFP®, CDFA®

Hazel Secco is a financial advisor based in Hoboken, New Jersey, who specializes in offering financial planning services to Disney employees. Hazel helps her clients get the most value from their Disney benefits and compensation package so they can enjoy life and feel confident about their financial future.

Q: When you first speak with a Disney employee, what questions do you like to ask to better understand their unique circumstances and determine how you can best help them achieve their goals?

Hazel: Having a clear understanding of your full compensation package and how to plan around it is crucial for making informed financial decisions. For instance, knowing when stocks vest and whether to sell them immediately for cash or hold onto them as part of your wealth accumulation strategy is essential. Additionally, you need to incorporate all available benefits, as many employees may not fully grasp how to maximize the benefits offered by their employer.

Q: Is there a particular benefit available to Disney employees you feel isn’t as well utilized or understood by employees as it should be?

Hazel: Many individuals are unaware of other perks that companies offer aside from equity compensation and health insurance. For example, you can take advantage of the dependent care FSA if you have dependents who require care, allowing you to cover part of the dependent care costs with pre-tax money. Additionally, many people are unaware of the tax implications of RSUs and how to strategize around them to maximize the benefits of stock compensation.

Get to Know Hazel Secco, Financial Advisor for Disney Employees:

View Hazel’s profile page on Wealthtender or visit her website to learn more.

Q: Beyond Disney employee benefits for retirement savings, are there other types of benefits offered by the company that you find valuable to discuss with your clients?

Hazel: There are several benefits available to moms, including access to lactation consultants for free consultations, which can be conducted over the phone to address various concerns. If an in-person specialist is deemed necessary, referrals are provided. Additionally, for moms needing to transport breastmilk while on business trips, FedEx delivery services are offered to ensure convenience. Furthermore, financial support is provided for reproductive needs, recognizing the potential financial strain such expenses can impose.

Moreover, the current medical benefits provide more options, including out-of-network care choices, but come with high deductibles. Therefore, it’s crucial to make use of the Health Savings Account (HSA). Unlike the Flexible Spending Account (FSA), funds in an HSA can roll over to the next year, making it flexible. Additionally, completing meditation sessions or undergoing annual checkups entitles you and your spouse to an additional $300 each, up to $1600 in employer contributions annually to your HSA. This is particularly beneficial when facing high out-of-pocket expenses before meeting the deductible.

Q: For Disney employees who have managed their finances on their own to this point, what would you suggest they consider to help them decide if they should begin working with a financial advisor at this stage in their lives?

Hazel: One feature on the benefit website that’s often overlooked by employees is the ability to view their vesting schedule in a consolidated layout by exporting their benefit model page. Additionally, once stocks vest, the vested shares are transferred to the individual investor account with Merrill, providing employees with a clear overview of the shares they currently own and their respective values.

If developing a strategy to gradually diversify your portfolio around stock compensation feels overwhelming, seek professional help from someone specializing in assisting families with equity compensation. Deciding on the optimal strategy for equity compensation can be complex, especially when factoring in other investment and retirement accounts holistically. By projecting retirement scenarios based on the future value of your equity compensation or the gradual de-concentration of stock, you can better understand the impact on your retirement outlook. Since equity compensation often forms a significant part of overall compensation models, careful consideration of these factors is essential.

Q: What are some of the unique financial planning challenges you commonly see among your clients who are Disney employees, and how do you help them overcome these obstacles?

Hazel: First and foremost, equity compensation constitutes a significant portion of the total compensation package. For Disney employees, as restricted stock units (RSUs) vest gradually over time, it’s imperative to grasp the vesting schedule and devise a strategy with tax implications in consideration. Neglecting to monitor their accumulation and vesting could lead to the risk of single stock concentration. To mitigate this risk, it’s advisable to gradually diversify by implementing a plan or by maintaining other diversified portfolios alongside equity compensation for a balanced portfolio.

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