Just noticed my profit sharing check is now showing up in the payroll advice / view paycheck. Mine is about the same as the 2014 check.

$2,700. (Yee haw)

That was after taxes and a slice to the 401K I hope?

After taxes and 100% into my 401k. I put all the pay in the 401k every year until it maxes out. Last year I didn't actually get a paycheck until April. I'm very fortunate to be able to do that.

I just click my heels, close my eyes, and repeat over and over that our contract is more expensive than DAL's.

If you do that, do you run the risk of shorting yourself B fund contributions?

I understand that if you max it all out by Oct 1, there may not be room under IRS rules to receive the company's B fund contributions in the fourth quarter.

As a technique, I only put in 7% from Jan to Sept, and then I take a look at it in October and see what needs to be done.

Just food for thought.....

The annual limit is $52,000 a year for contribution to a 401k ($53,000 for 2015). I'm an airbus FO that flys about 40 hours a month, so there is never a risk I will exceed it. Also, if you do, they have to pay it back to me. It happened in 2001 when I was a 727 Captain and exceeded the limit. (It was less back then)

Even my contributions PLUS the company was less than the IRS max. I had to do a post-tax contribution to max it out.

That's great though that you track it and contribute. Its probably one of the best and easiest investment vehicles we have access to.

That's a good thing to think about. Fortunately, if we do exceed the IRS limit, the company contributions don't stop, but they flow over into the Retiree Health Account / VEBA. For me, I'd like to get as much in there as I can, if I ever make that much to cause a flow over.

Fortunately? After I looked into what the RHA is I have to disagree. It is managed by a combo of ALPA appointed board members and company appointed board members.

I have very fresh memories of what happened last time ALPA and UAL were in charge of my retirement dollars. I don't want to repeat the same mistake twice.