Services
Proactive Tax Strategy
Most tech employees do not have a tax problem in April. They have a planning problem in the eleven months before it. We fix the planning problem.
If a meaningful share of your income arrives as RSUs, bonuses or option exercises, your tax situation is not the same as your neighbor's — and a once-a-year tax return was never designed to manage it. Supplemental wages are withheld at a flat rate that often falls far short of your real bracket. Vesting dates land in the middle of the year. A single ISO exercise can quietly trigger the Alternative Minimum Tax. By the time a CPA sees the numbers, the decisions that mattered have already been made.
Tax strategy planning is the ongoing work of making those decisions on purpose. We map your expected income for the year, model the tax impact of each vest, exercise or sale before it happens, and coordinate with your CPA so the return simply confirms what we already planned. The goal is not to avoid taxes you legitimately owe. It is to stop paying taxes you never needed to, and to never again be surprised by a five-figure balance due.
What this covers
- Multi-year income and bracket projections, including expected vesting and bonus dates
- Withholding gap analysis for supplemental wages and quarterly estimated-payment schedules
- Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) modeling for ISO exercises and the AMT credit recovery
- Timing of exercises, sales and charitable gifts across tax years
- Deduction strategy: bunching, donor-advised funds and appreciated-stock gifts
- Coordination of retirement contributions, backdoor and mega-backdoor Roth, HSA and 529 for tax efficiency
- Multi-state and relocation questions (moving between California, Texas and Washington, for example)
- Year-end review and hand-off to your CPA with a clear planning memo
How we work together
- 01
Discovery
We gather your recent returns, pay stubs, grant agreements and vesting schedules, and talk through what is coming this year — a new grant, a promotion, a move, a liquidity event.
- 02
Projection
We build a forward-looking projection of your federal and state taxes, showing the withholding gap and the specific events that create it.
- 03
Strategy
You receive a written plan with prioritized actions and deadlines: how much to set aside, whether to adjust withholding, when to exercise, what to give, where to contribute.
- 04
Ongoing check-ins
We revisit the plan at each vesting date and before year-end, then package everything for your CPA so filing season is boring — in the best way.
Why work with an independent advisor
We are not paid by a fund company, a brokerage or an insurance carrier, and we do not earn commissions on anything we recommend. That means the only reason to suggest a strategy is that it works for you. Independence also lets us coordinate freely with your existing CPA and attorney instead of competing with them.
Frequently asked questions
Is tax strategy planning the same as tax preparation?
No. Tax preparation looks backward and reports what already happened. Tax strategy planning looks forward and shapes what will happen. We work alongside your CPA (or can refer you to one) so the two pieces fit together.
Why do I owe money every April even though taxes are withheld from my RSUs?
Supplemental wages such as RSU vesting and bonuses are usually withheld at a flat 22% federal rate (37% above $1 million), plus a flat state rate. If your actual marginal bracket is higher, every vest creates a gap. We quantify that gap early and set up estimated payments or adjusted withholding so the balance due disappears.
Can you help me with the AMT from exercising ISOs?
Yes. AMT exposure from ISO exercises is one of the most common issues we see. We model how many shares you can exercise before crossing into AMT, weigh early exercise against holding, and track the AMT credit so you recover it in later years.
I'm moving from California to Texas or Washington. Does timing matter?
It matters a great deal. California taxes equity compensation based on where you worked during the vesting period, not simply where you live when it vests or sells. We help you understand the allocation rules and plan the move, exercises and sales in the right order.
How do you work with my existing CPA?
Happily. We provide a written year-end planning memo, projections and a summary of each equity event so your CPA can file accurately and efficiently. If you do not have a CPA who understands equity compensation, we can introduce one.
When is the best time to start?
The earlier in the tax year, the more options you have. That said, even a review in November can still reduce a surprise balance due. If a large vest or exercise is coming up, reach out before it happens.
Related services
- Equity Compensation StrategyOne coordinated plan for your RSUs, RSAs, ISOs and NSOs, so every vest, exercise and sale is a decision rather than a surprise.
- Holistic Financial PlanningOne integrated plan that connects your cash flow, equity, taxes, insurance and family goals, on both sides of the Pacific.
- Worry-free Retirement & Lifetime-Income PlanningFrom 401(k) and Roth decisions to early-retirement math and cross-border questions, a plan for the life after the vesting schedule ends.
Ready to turn your uncertainty into certainties?
Start with a complimentary 15-minute strategy session. We will look at your portfolio, your tax picture and your goals, and tell you plainly what we would do next.