Year-End Financial Planning Tips for Chevron Employees

Reviewed by: Chad Seegers, CRPC®
December 16, 2025

The end of the year is one of the most important checkpoints for Chevron employees, especially those nearing retirement eligibility, evaluating pension options, or monitoring segment rates. Year-end planning gives you the opportunity to finalize tax strategies, confirm your ESIP contributions, prepare for potential EOI offerings, and ensure you’re positioned for a strong financial start to the new year. Taking a few strategic steps now can streamline your decisions later, particularly if retirement or workforce changes are on the horizon.

Review Annual Spending and Cash Flow

A clear view of your year-long spending patterns helps you prepare for potential income changes—whether due to retirement, an EOI package, or changes in bonus structure.

Review:

Monthly cash flow and large one-time expenses
Whether your current savings rate supports your retirement timeline
How much margin you’ll need if segment rates shift or if a lump-sum choice becomes more favorable

This insight helps Chevron families stay flexible and confident when evaluating major financial decisions.

Maximize Tax-Advantaged Contributions Through ESIP

Before year-end, confirm that you’ve optimized contributions to your Chevron Employee Savings Investment Plan (ESIP). This includes:

Ensuring you’ve met or maximized your contribution goals
Reviewing whether catch-up contributions apply if you’re age 50+
Assessing whether you should shift investment allocations within ESIP as retirement approaches
Evaluating opportunities to diversify out of Chevron stock if it has become an outsized portion of your portfolio

Many Chevron employees also use year-end planning to evaluate whether a Roth conversion or backdoor Roth strategy makes sense in light of upcoming income changes or retirement timing.

Conduct a Chevron-Specific Tax Readiness Check

Year-end is an ideal time to review documentation related to:

CIP bonus income
ESPP purchases
RSUs or performance share vesting
NUA opportunities if retirement or EOI is being considered
Potential severance taxation if layoffs are anticipated

Gather receipts and expense records while also reviewing credits, deductions, and tax strategies relevant to your compensation structure. Coordinating with both your CPA and financial advisor at this stage ensures nothing is missed.

Evaluate Investments Before Year-End

Review both your personal accounts and ESIP allocations to ensure your portfolio is aligned with your goals and risk tolerance.

Consider:

Rebalancing after a year of market fluctuations
Reducing concentrated Chevron stock exposure if appropriate
Assessing whether tax-loss harvesting can offset gains
Confirming your investment strategy still supports your expected retirement date, especially if segment rate changes impact lump-sum value calculations

For employees eyeing retirement soon, this review helps ensure your investment plan supports your income needs in the early years of retirement.

Review Insurance Policies and Chevron Benefits

Chevron’s benefits package is comprehensive, and year-end is an excellent time to review coverage and anticipated changes.

Confirm:

Health plan elections and costs for next year
Eligibility and projected costs for Chevron Retiree Medical if retirement is near
Adequacy of life and disability insurance—inside and outside Chevron
Whether beneficiaries are current across all accounts (ESIP, CRP, insurance, etc.)

Small updates now prevent surprises later, especially when transitioning from active employee benefits to retirement benefits.

Revisit Retirement Goals—With an Eye on Segment Rates

For many Chevron employees, retirement timing hinges on segment rate trends. Year-end planning is the perfect time to:

Review how rising or falling segment rates affect your CRP lump-sum payout
Assess your readiness if an EOI is offered
Update retirement timelines based on new data
Evaluate cash-flow needs and income sources in early retirement

If you’re planning to retire within the next 1–3 years, this step is especially important.

Finalize Charitable Giving

If charitable giving is part of your financial strategy—especially if you’re planning for a high-income year due to severance, bonuses, or vested shares—year-end is your deadline.

Consider:

Donations of appreciated stock for larger tax efficiency
Contributions to a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)
Documentation and receipts for your tax return

Strategic giving can meaningfully reduce taxable income during a year with unusual compensation events.

Prepare Next Year's Budget and Retirement Forecasts

With potential income changes and benefit shifts ahead, year-end is the right time to update your financial plan for the upcoming year:

Adjust expected income based on bonuses, overtime changes, or potential severance
Model retirement scenarios, including pension vs. lump-sum options
Forecast major expenses
Set up or update automated transfers for savings and investing

This ensures you begin the new year with clarity—even if Chevron announces workforce changes or strategic reorganizations.

Conclusion

Year-end planning is more than a checklist—it’s a strategic opportunity for Chevron employees to prepare for retirement, optimize benefits, and stay ahead of financial decisions that could impact long-term wealth. By reviewing spending, maximizing ESIP contributions, assessing segment rates, and aligning your plan with next year’s goals, you give yourself a stronger financial footing—no matter what the year ahead brings.

If you’d like help reviewing your year-end strategy or modeling your Chevron retirement options, Insight Wealth Strategies has extensive experience guiding Chevron employees through pensions, segment rates, stock compensation, and retirement transitions. We’re here to help you build a plan with clarity and confidence.

Reviewed by,

Chad Seegers, CRPC®

Chad began his career with Sagemark Consulting in 2005 and then became a Select member of Sagemark’s Private Wealth Services which operated as a national resource for financial planners focusing on Advanced Strategies in the High Net Worth marketplace. Chad then began his partnership with Insight Wealth Strategies in 2013 focused on retirement planning primarily with Oil and Gas employees and executives. His primary areas of expertise are retirement, estate, and investment strategies as he serves as Investment Strategist for the financial planning team.

Insight Wealth Strategies, LLC is not affiliated with Chevron.

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Insight Wealth Strategies, LLC (IWS) and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.