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

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

Whether you’re a new USAA 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 USAA benefits available to you?

✅If you’re thinking about leaving USAA 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 USAA Benefits and Compensation Package

Throughout the year, USAA 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) and deferred compensation plans. 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 USAA who specialize in helping USAA employees make the most of their income and benefits.

Whether you work in the USAA headquarters in San Antonio, 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 USAA 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 USAA 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 USAA 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 USAA Employees & Executives
2. Get Answers to Your Questions About Your USAA Benefits and Career
3. Browse Related Articles

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

Answers to USAA Employee Questions with Ramiro Marmolejo, CFP®, ChFC®

Ramiro Marmolejo is a financial advisor based in San Antonio who specializes in offering financial planning services to USAA employees. Ramiro helps his clients get the most value from their USAA benefits and compensation package so they can enjoy life and feel confident about their financial future.

Q: As a financial advisor with experience helping USAA employees save for their retirement, how do you help them make the most of their employee benefits?

Ramiro: I help USAA employees view their benefits as part of a complete plan. Many focus only on their 401(k), but I teach them to also consider other areas — like maintaining liquidity, reviewing insurance coverage, and coordinating spousal benefits in dual-income households. My role is to show them how each piece fits together so their plan is both efficient and aligned with their long-term goals.

Q: When you first speak with a USAA 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?

Ramiro: I start with questions about what financial success means to them, what their most important goals are, and what keeps them up at night. Once I understand their values, I ask how they’re currently using their benefits — 401(k), insurance, or deferred compensation. That helps me identify what’s working and where we can strengthen their financial picture.

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

Ramiro: Yes. Depending on the employee’s tenure, some may qualify for pension benefits. I help them see how these benefits fit into their overall plan and help them determine if a pension buy out or the pension income benefit is best for them.

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

Ramiro: Yes. Supplemental insurance coverage and, for certain employees, deferred compensation programs can play a major role. The real value comes from coordinating these benefits with outside assets and spousal benefits, ensuring nothing is overlooked in the bigger picture.

Q: For USAA employees thinking about leaving the company to accept a job elsewhere, what actions do you recommend they take before resigning and shortly thereafter?

Ramiro: Review your 401(k) options, understand vesting schedules for retirement or deferred compensation, and evaluate your insurance needs. These steps protect against gaps and allow for a smoother transition to your next opportunity.

Q: For USAA employees approaching retirement age, how do you recommend they prepare to make the transition from living off their salary to relying upon other sources of income?

Ramiro: The transition from paycheck to retirement income requires planning. I help employees sequence withdrawals from 401(k)s, IRAs, and other savings while also reviewing insurance and debt obligations. The goal is to build a sustainable, tax-conscious income plan that supports their lifestyle.

Q: For USAA 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?

Ramiro: I encourage them to ask: Do I have the time, tools, and confidence to manage complex issues like retirement income, tax planning, and benefit coordination on my own? Many employees realize that while DIY works early on, the complexity of retirement planning or executive benefits requires a deeper level of guidance. An advisor can act as both teacher and partner, helping them connect their benefits to their long-term goals.

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

Ramiro: The most common challenge is imbalance — focusing heavily on retirement savings while overlooking insurance, liquidity, or debt management. Using my Financial Rubrics framework — Protection, Liquidity, Debt Management, and Growth — I help employees organize all areas so no piece of their financial picture is left exposed.

Q: What questions do you recommend USAA employees ask financial advisors they’re considering hiring to help them decide if they’re a good fit?

Ramiro: Ask: Are you a fiduciary at all times? How are you compensated? What experience do you have working with USAA employees and their benefit structure? These questions make it clear whether an advisor can truly serve your best interests.

Q: Is there anything that comes up frequently in your initial meeting with USAA employees that surprises you?

Ramiro: I’m often surprised by how much employees assume that contributing to their 401(k) alone is enough. Once we discuss other areas like insurance coverage, liquidity, and debt management, they usually realize their plan has gaps they hadn’t considered.

Q: For highly compensated USAA employees and executives, are there any special benefits you believe it’s important to take into consideration when preparing their financial plan?

Ramiro: Yes. Deferred compensation programs and executive benefits are important but come with tax timing risks. Without a plan, employees may face large, unexpected tax bills. I help executives structure their benefits to balance income needs with tax efficiency.

Q: Is there a particularly memorable experience or a moment you recall with a client who worked at USAA when you realized they have unique opportunities and circumstances when it comes to their financial planning needs?

Ramiro: Yes. I met with a USAA employee who had been diligently contributing to his 401(k) for years and had built up a solid balance. The problem was he only focused on that one area, while neglecting the other pieces of his financial picture. He didn’t have much liquidity set aside, his insurance coverage hadn’t been updated in years, and he wasn’t paying close attention to debt management. Using my Financial Rubrics framework — Protection, Liquidity, Debt Management, and Growth — we walked through each area together. What he realized was that while his 401(k) was in good shape, the other areas were leaving him exposed. Once we addressed those gaps, he had a more complete plan that gave him real confidence about his future. He realized that saving is only part of the equation — organizing all the pieces of the puzzle is what truly creates financial security.

Get to Know Ramiro Marmolejo, Financial Advisor for USAA Employees:

View Ramiro’s profile page on Wealthtender or visit his website to learn more.

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