Thomas King

About Thomas King

Most engineers, architects, and construction leaders at ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) firms eventually face the same reality: your career has been successful, and your ESOP has quietly become most of your net worth. When 80–85% of your wealth is tied to one company, figuring out how to actually retire becomes complicated fast.The question often stops being \"can I afford to retire?\" and starts being \"how do I practically do this?\"The Sarver Vrooman team has helped many engineers and executives plan for their retirement from some of the top AEC firms such as Burns & McDonnell, Black & Veatch, Kiewit, HDR, HNTB, Henderson, and others. We focus on the mechanics that matter: ESOP distribution schedules, avoiding unnecessary penalties, and diversifying your investments. We use stress test simulations, tax planning, cash flow analysis, and quarterly reviews to help you go from concentrated ESOP ownership to income you can count on.Before you leave your job, you will have a plan for when you can retire, how to get your money out efficiently, and what it takes to make it last.Here\'s what we build together:• A clear retirement date based on your numbers, not industry rules of thumb• A strategy to convert your ESOP into income without paying more tax than necessary• A diversification approach that helps to protect what you\'ve built • Spending guidelines and liquidity planning • Peace of mind for your spouse, with a plan that works even if something happens to youIf you\'re within 5–10 years of retirement and want to see your actual timeline let\'s have a conversation. Message me or book a call and I\'ll show you what your situation looks like on paper.Ranked in Forbes 2023, 2024 & 2025 Best Wealth Management Teams for MissouriAdvisory services are offered through Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors, a SEC Investment Advisor. The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams rating algorithm is based on the previous year’s industry experience, interviews, compliance records, assets under management, revenue and other criteria by SHOOK Research, LLC. Investment performance is not a criterion. Self-completed survey was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria.

Experience

1. Partner, Wealth Advisor

   Sarver Vrooman Wealth Advisors

   Apr 2023 — Present · Kansas City, MO, US

   I help late-career engineers, architects, and construction executives at ESOP firms answer the question that keeps them up at night:\"When can I actually retire and will it work?\" Most of my clients have 80–85% of their wealth locked inside their ESOP, which means retirement isn\'t just about having enough money it\'s about getting access to it at the right time, in the right way, without triggering penalties or derailing the plan. I build retirement strategies around ESOP distribution rules, staged diversification, and conservative income modeling using detailed cashflow plans and stress testing. The goal is simple: you know when you can leave, how your ESOP converts into usable income, and what it takes to stay retired. No guesswork, no generic advice, just a plan built specifically for how ESOP wealth actually works.

Education

• University of Miami

  Master of Science in Finance

• University of Missouri-Kansas City

  Bachelor of Business Administration