Simplify Wealth Planning

The absolute easiest way to lose money on private company stock options: Having a distorted viewpoint of the company. (common when you're part of the internal dialogue) ???????? ?????????????????????????? ?????????? ???????? ?? ???????????????? ????????????????: Exercise stock options or let them expire. It's just as much about avoiding losses as it is about gains. ?????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ????????: → Exercising underwater options → Misreading market conditions ????? Even late-stage companies can run into hurdles → Hitting the easy button: Exercise and hope for the best ▼ ▼ ▼ My client had 90 days to decide whether to spend $40k to exercise their options Here's how we navigated the decision: ? Company outlook ? Exit event was supposedly on the horizon, but options were underwater ? In this new AI-era, I wouldn’t take anything as a given ? If you’re considering exercising options, the path to an exit better be crystal clear ? Personal financial goals ? Was this money more important to spend elsewhere today? ? Risk tolerance ? Can their financial plan withstand a miss on this bet? ????????????: ???????? ???????????? ???? ????????????????????. ?? ??????????????????, ?????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ?? ?????? ???????????? ?? P.S. Have you ever had to make a tough decision about stock options? Share your experience below! __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. ??Follow me to learn about unlocking equity compensation gains, reducing taxes and improving investments! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

Two BigTech professionals. Same situation. One made $104k more by being strategic ?? Sarah and Mike both worked in BigTech for 10 years. ?? Both received significant RSU compensation. ?? The company stock did very good. ?? Both have moved on but selling the stock requires paying a huge amount of taxes. Sarah sold immediately → Paid a fortune in taxes. Mike explored alternatives → He found exchange funds. (not the same thing as exchange traded funds - ETFs) __________________ Exchange funds allow you to delay paying a tax bill (IRS compliant) ? While gaining immediate diversification → Fast forward 7 years: ????????'?? ?????? ?????????? ???? +$???????? ???????????? (??????????-??????????) When your shares have increased a lot in value, tax deferral becomes a superpower. → The basic idea is your money keeps working for you ?? ???????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ??????: 1. Cost basis vs current market value (the wider, the more value to do something like an exchange fund) ??? 2. Expected return on investment (the higher, the more it favors doing the strategy) ??? 3. The # of years to defer the tax bill (the longer your defer, the more value this generates) ??? 4. The difference in your tax rate today vs expected tax rate in the future (if tax rate expected to be lower in the future, then more value to defer taxes today) __________________ Your situation is unique. So should be your strategy. ?? ?????????? ?? ???????????????????? ???? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ??????????????????. (?? Check out the comments to get the calculator) ???Tag someone who this could help ??Repost if others in your network would find this calculator to be helpful __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

Financial advice is like a treadmill gathering dust in your basement. Useless until you use it. A big difference between being successful and not: Accountability. Many people don't follow through with financial advice → Because they lack a persistent → Maybe even slightly annoying accountability partner →?Me :) --- Create a partnership based on accountability (also known as caring): ?? I'm not saying they should stalk you. ?? I'm just saying a little light stalking in the name of your financial health isn't the worst idea. ▼ ▼ ▼ Implementing financial advice will feel like trying to eat broccoli ice cream. ? Do it anyway. Sometimes having someone spoon-feed you your ‘financial vegetables’ until you develop a taste for financial responsibility is exactly what you need. __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

Many thought I was insane to step away from a highly lucrative job to start over at $0 One book played a big role in that decision: Arthur Brooks' "From Strength to Strength" His words that hit home: 1. Success addiction is real and dangerous 2. Fluid intelligence, such as creating new things, peaks when you’re younger 3. Acquired intelligence compounds as you age 4. The second half of life demands a pivot to using your acquired intelligence to avoid decline 5. True fulfillment comes from serving others with wisdom Brooks' concept of the "second curve": → Moving from using fluid to acquired intelligence → Became my goal. ?????? ????????'?? ?????????????? ?????? ??????????: "Devote the back half of your life to serving others with your wisdom." This led to my biggest career decision: ?? Transitioning from finance executive to financial planner. ?? Now, I use my experience to help others navigate their financial journeys. The result? - Deeper personal fulfillment - Stronger relationships ????'?? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ???????????? ??????????. Your wisdom is your greatest asset. How will you use it to serve others? __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

I didn't negotiate my first job offer. I was fresh out of college during the 08' Crisis Jobs were scarce, and I was grateful for any opportunity. In retrospect, this put me behind more than I thought. There’s a long-term impact from not getting your worth: 1. It sets a precedent for future earnings 2. It influences your lifestyle choices 3. It determines your saving and investing potential The tech sector may be tough right now, But that doesn't mean you should settle. → Know your worth → Research market rates → Practice negotiation skills ?????? ?????? ?????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????? ???????? ??????????. (link to it in the comments) Your future self will thank you. __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

Helped a client gain +$243k this week with something that will take them 2 min to do ?? What was the strategy? ? Switch from a ROTH 401k to traditional 401k Nothing more than that Just change the account type in their 401k portal ?????? ?????? ???????? ????????????? → Simplification is usually good → But oversimplification can backfire ? "ROTH is always best" ROTH wins when your tax % is lower now vs the future But if all your assets are in ROTH, There's a good chance your tax rate is expected to be VERY low in retirement ?????? ????????????'?? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ????: ? 100% ROTH 401(k) contributions ? High current tax bracket ? Very low projected retirement tax bracket ▼ ▼ ▼ ?????? ???????????????????? ????: → Detailed analysis of projected tax brackets → Eye-opening realization about tax diversification → Simple shift from 100% ROTH to a blended approach → Optimize current tax deductions → Relief at maintaining current lifestyle while optimizing savings No increased contributions No changes to their investment portfolio ?????? ???????? ???????? ???? ???????? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????? 1 review → 1 strategy adjustment → +$243k ↓ How to get insights on your retirement strategy ↓ ? Like this post ? Comment or DM "Retirement" __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

The real benefit of negotiating your equity package Is 10x more valuable than extra $ for yourself Sure, getting more money in your pocket is cool. But the important part of negotiating, → ???? ???????? ???? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????????? And that will pay off much more than a few extra bucks Here's why: → Showcases business acumen → Demonstrates strategic thinking → Signals long-term commitment Every negotiation is an opportunity to prove your worth beyond the role. ?????????? ???? ?????????? ?? ?????????????????????? ????????????: (For startup and still private companies) 1. Ask for the fully diluted share count (anything that can convert to shares of the company, including investor stakes) ??? ? This better reflects your true ownership position 2. Clarify vesting schedule and cliff period ? 4 year vesting with 12-month cliff is most common 3. Discuss early-exercise options ? A saavy move giving you tax flexibility 4. Negotiate post-termination exercise > 90 days ? Gives you more flexibility later 5. Inquire about expected exit paths ? IPO vs acquisition ???????? ?????????????????????? ?????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????? __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

How you manage your money is how you manage your life. Small financial decisions matter Especially for life satisfaction Consider how you: 1. Approach long-term planning 2. Balance saving and spending 3. Align investments with values 4. Give back to your community These shape your life's story. Why? ?????????????? ?????????? ???? ?? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????????? ????????. If you're not where you want to be, ask: Am I using my resources to create the life I truly desire? ?????????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????? ?????????????? ???????? ???????? ??????????. __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

So you bought Nvidia and made a killing. What do you do to protect your gains? Sell and diversify? ? But face a massive tax bill There's a better way. ?????? ?????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????? ??????????????????: Strategically lock in some of your Nvidia gains by selling other losing positions to offset the tax hit (loss harvesting) ? This helps you take some "chips off the table" ? While also maintaining a low cost basis in your remaining Nvidia shares ? Then let compound growth work its magic ?????? ???? ??????????: ? Taxes paid now = less money growing for you ? Inflation means $ paid today > same $ paid in the future - The bigger your gains - The higher your tax rate is - The higher your expected investment returns are ? The more powerful this strategy becomes ▼ ▼ ▼ 1. It's not about avoiding taxes. 2. It's about paying them at the right time. 3. Make your money work smarter, not harder. ???? ???? “??????????” ???? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~

5 truths about pet ownership: 1. Emergencies happen 2. Vet bills can be astronomical 3. Your savings might not be enough 4. Saying "no" to treatment feels terrible 5. Pet insurance can solve all of these problems The average cost of pet insurance? $30-$50 per month. ?The potential savings? Thousands. ↓↓↓ My dog's healthcare expenses in the past year before insurance: $2,000+ She was a puppy, so we didn’t really know what we were getting into health-wise Knowing we had insurance and could provide her with the best care gave me peace of mind I use Lemonade for pet insurance and they’re awesome. __________________ I’m a financial planner giving tech professionals financial peace of mind. I decode your equity compensation, reduce taxes, improve your investments and more. __________________ ??Follow me to learn about financial planning, equity compensation and investing! ~This post is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as individual advice~