The Big C

[Andy the Actuary]

We have become fans of Showtime's "The Big C," a dark comedy in which the principal character has terminal cancer. She is a teacher and has not divulged her illness to family or co-workers (she appears to have no friends!). In a recent episode, she cleaned out her 401(k) to go on a shopping spree (she bought a fire engine red Mustang). Having been born toilet trained, it occurred to me that she could not have taken (a non-hardship, and shopping spree wouldn't qualify as hardship) distribution while still employed. I'm glad they gave her the money because the car was beautiful.

[david rigby]

If she is a govt-employed teacher, how does she have a 401(k)?

(Yes, I know there are a few such plans, but very few.)

[Andy the Actuary]

If she is a govt-employed teacher, how does she have a 401(k)?

(Yes, I know there are a few such plans, but very few.)

I had made that comment to my spousette but offered that the writers had taken the poetic license of stating 401(k) as 403(b), "tax deferred annuity," or "tax sheltered annuity" were not as commonly known.

[Guest Sieve]

How about age 59-1/2? (I don't watch the show, so I don't know how old she is . . .) Or medical expense hardship (she lied?)? Non-deferral dollars (like match)? Poetic license?

[Andy the Actuary]

How about age 59-1/2? (I don't watch the show, so I don't know how old she is . . .) Or medical expense hardship (she lied?)? Non-deferral dollars (like match)? Poetic license?

(1) In her 40s

(2) Medical hardship? No one knows about her C.

(3) She cleared out her entire 401(k) account, which would include deferrals.

(4) Artistic license, though some of the dialogue is poetry (As a teacher, she told one of her students to remove the stick.)

(5) You should watch more TV. It is good for your soul as well as the ratings.

[A Shot in the Dark]

I agree with the poetic license calling it a 401(k) Plan.

Perhaps as a teacher, she belongs to a PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) Pension Plan that required mandatory Employee Contributions that are eligible for withdrawal after x amount of years of participation or service.

[david rigby]

414(h) pick-up contributions?

[PensionPro]

Wonder how many CE credits for watching that show ...

[GMK]

Why all this speculation? Just check the plan document.

meanwhile, isn't anybody gonna post a picture of the fire engine red Mustang? (woulda used a drooly face, but there isn't one)

[Belgarath]

Was it a convertible? Even living in the Northeast, I still can't imagine why someone would buy a red Mustang hard-top rather than a convertible. But maybe my wife's yearnings for a hot red convertible have prejudiced me against the hard-tops. Those of us in the land of deep snow (especially my wife) are still hoping for a nice, affordable (like a Miata) convertible in FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. Rear wheel drive just doesn't cut it on snowy roads.

[Andy the Actuary]

Enough, enough. Here is a photo of the Mustang you have all been pleading to see:

[rcline46]

Wonderful car! A grey Edsel convertible! Oh, we were thinking of a red Mustang?

[Andy the Actuary]

Wonderful car! A grey Edsel convertible! Oh, we were thinking of a red Mustang?

You're obviously color blind and don't know your cars. Look again. It's a fire-engine red Mustang!

[david rigby]

Steve McQueen would be proud.

[GMK]

It's a fire-engine red Mustang!

Wow. One of the rare models of Mustang. And a convertible!

So, does the word 'actuary' come from the latin phrase: ".. well, um, that is, .. actually .."

[Andy the Actuary]

It's a fire-engine red Mustang!

Wow. One of the rare models of Mustang. And a convertible!

So, does the word 'actuary' come from the latin phrase: ".. well, um, that is, .. actually .."

No, actuary is a short-name for a coup which houses strange birds.

[Tom Poje]

dang. I thought it was simply garbled speech from

act-your-age

[GMK]

No, actuary is a short-name for a coup which houses strange birds.

and in your locale, I assume they are the beloved fire-engine red birds? (who really aren't all that strange)

[Andy the Actuary]

and in your locale, I assume they are the beloved fire-engine red birds?

Don't you mean the Dead Birds?

[Jim Norman]

Those of us in the land of deep snow (especially my wife) are still hoping for a nice, affordable (like a Miata) convertible in FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. Rear wheel drive just doesn't cut it on snowy roads.

The FIAT Barchetta would have fit the bill, not made anymore, never imported to the US, but there's talk of a spider version of the FIAT 500 which would be FWD, assuming this whole Chrysler/FIAT thing works out.

Barchetta:

[Belgarath]

Sweet, but my definition of "affordable" is unlikely to match theirs...

[GMK]

OK, den. Here's one:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/red%20m...r24/FireRed.jpg

.. or just google 'red mustang' (what a nice way to end an otherwise also pretty nice week)