Equity Compensation & Stock Option Planning
If you've earned RSUs, ISOs, NQOs, or ESPP shares as part of your compensation, you already know it's not just "extra pay" — it's a financial planning puzzle with real tax consequences and real risk if it's left unmanaged. In Phase Wealth Management helps tech professionals and equity-compensated employees in San Mateo and the Bay Area turn that compensation into a clear, tax-efficient part of their long-term financial plan.
Equity Compensation We Help You Navigate
-
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units) — Understanding vesting schedules, tax withholding gaps, and when to sell vs. hold.
-
ISOs (Incentive Stock Options) — Exercise timing, AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax) exposure, and qualifying disposition strategy.
-
NQOs (Non-Qualified Stock Options) — Exercise strategy and ordinary income tax planning.
-
ESPPs (Employee Stock Purchase Plans) — Maximizing the discount while managing concentration risk and holding period rules.
Our Approach to Stock Compensation Planning
1. Understand what you have.
Many clients come to us holding multiple types of equity from current and former employers, each with different tax treatment and vesting terms. We start by mapping out exactly what you own, when it vests or expires, and what it's worth.
2. Model your options before you act.
Exercising or selling equity is often irreversible. We model multiple scenarios — different exercise dates, sale timing, and tax outcomes — so you can make an informed decision before you owe a tax bill you didn't plan for.
3. Reduce concentration risk.
It's common for equity compensation to make up an outsized share of your net worth, especially after a vesting event or IPO. We help you build a diversification plan that reduces single-stock risk without triggering unnecessary tax consequences.
3. Plan around the tax impact.
Stock compensation decisions ripple into your broader tax picture — AMT, capital gains, and ordinary income can all be affected by the same decision. We coordinate your equity strategy with your overall tax plan so the two work together, not against each other.
4. Fit it into your bigger financial picture.
Your equity compensation isn't a standalone decision — it affects your retirement timeline, your liquidity, and your financial independence goals. We make sure your stock comp strategy supports where you're actually trying to go.
Who This Is For
This service is built for:
-
Tech employees with RSUs, ISOs, or ESPP shares
-
Employees approaching or going through an IPO or liquidity event
-
Anyone holding a concentrated stock position from a current or former employer
-
High-income professionals who want a coordinated tax and investment strategy around their equity comp
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I exercise my ISOs?
It depends on your AMT exposure, your cash flow, your view of the company, and your overall tax situation. There's no universal answer — it requires modeling your specific numbers.
Should I sell my RSUs as soon as they vest?
Many advisors recommend selling RSUs at vest to avoid concentration risk, since you already paid tax on them as ordinary income. Whether that's right for you depends on your full financial picture and tax bracket.
What's the difference between a qualifying and disqualifying disposition for ISOs?
A qualifying disposition (holding ISO shares long enough after exercise and grant) gets favorable long-term capital gains treatment. Selling too early triggers a disqualifying disposition, taxed at ordinary income rates. We help you plan around these holding periods.
Ready to build a strategy around your equity compensation?