How to handle a potential layoff?

This isn't an easy one.

First thing is I would negotiate a pay decrease to keep your job, and then start looking for another as you have already started doing. Negotiating a pay decrease is risky, but it is a good tactic to use when there is down-sizing and isn't permanent - down-sizing could become growth and you will find yourself in a position to renegotiate your pay to your original salary. Accountants rarely care about worker quality and work ethic and all of that stuff, they only care about the numbers. If you are making $130k, making $90k won't impact your personal finances if you are responsible enough to cut back. This is just a tactic to help you remain employed while you look for other jobs depending on the outlook of your current job. Do not tell co-workers you are negotiating for a lower salary to keep your job.

I don't recommend calling off your vacation just yet. Try to feel out your future with your company and where you will really be in a year from now. You seem like a pretty smart guy, so as long as you keep emotions out of it, observe everything and try to figure stuff out you will be able to assess the future of your employment.

As for your personal finances, I would stop putting money into my 401k because there is a good possibility you will be needing money soon, and you don't want to be in a position where you will need to pull from your 401k due to fee's. I never recommend pulling from a 401k unless it's urgent.

Start selling some of your things you could easily live without. It is much easier to sell your things when you aren't pressured to make a $2300 house payment. You will find yourself selling things for half of what they could really be sold for when you fear that you won't find another buyer before a payment is due.

I would pay my taxes off ASAP. Due to the money still owed on the truck, I would down-size on that. You don't have to stop eating out, just change where you eat out. Twice a week isn't crazy, but it is if your bill is usually $100-$200 per trip. I would use one of your cards to just pay off your wife's vehicle as your payments will be smaller each month but I doubt you will have much difficulty in paying off the remaining 4 payments if you are positive you have a bonus coming your way.

Kill cable, go to internet only.

I don't know where you live, but if you plan to receive unemployment, many states have a education stipulation where they will extend your unemployment benefits up to 2 years if you are in school. Because you only have 4 classes left, I would stop attending these classes at the moment. Restart after you start receiving unemployment benefits.

Worst case scenario is that you refinance your mortgage which I don't recommend at this stage.

I hope you come out ahead on this. Good luck.

/r/personalfinance Thread