Tech executives and senior engineers deal with some of the most complex compensation packages in any industry. Between RSUs, ISOs, ESPP shares, non-qualified deferred compensation, and rapidly changing equity valuations, the financial planning needs are anything but straightforward.
At Intentional Living Financial Planning, we work with tech executives, engineering leaders, product managers, and senior individual contributors who earn significant income through a combination of salary and equity. Whether you're at a publicly traded company managing RSU vesting schedules or at a pre-IPO startup navigating ISO exercise decisions, we help you build a financial plan that accounts for the full complexity of your compensation.
High income in tech doesn't automatically translate into lasting wealth. The decisions you make about when to exercise options, how to diversify concentrated stock positions, and how to manage your tax liability across multiple years compound significantly over time.
What We Help Tech Executives With
Equity compensation planning. RSUs, ISOs, NSOs, and ESPP shares each come with different tax treatment, vesting schedules, and strategic considerations. We help you build a coordinated plan for exercising, holding, and selling equity — optimizing for taxes, concentration risk, and your long-term financial goals rather than making one-off decisions in isolation.
Non-qualified deferred compensation (457 plans). NQDC plans can be a powerful tool for high earners, but they come with risks that most people underestimate — including forfeiture risk and limited flexibility. We help you evaluate whether to participate, how much to defer, and how deferred comp fits within your broader wealth-building strategy.
High-income tax planning. Between ordinary income, short-term and long-term capital gains, AMT exposure from ISO exercises, and NIIT, the tax picture for tech executives is layered. We coordinate multi-year tax projections, Roth conversions, tax-loss harvesting, charitable giving strategies, and retirement account optimization to minimize your lifetime tax burden.
Stock concentration risk. It's common for tech professionals to accumulate a significant portion of their net worth in a single company's stock. We help you build a disciplined diversification plan that reduces risk without triggering unnecessary taxes — using strategies like 10b5-1 plans, tax-lot optimization, and charitable giving of appreciated shares.
Irregular cash flow planning. Between bonus payouts, RSU vesting dates, and variable equity values, cash flow for tech executives is rarely predictable. We help you build a system for managing lumpy income — directing money intentionally toward savings, investments, taxes, and lifestyle so that windfalls build wealth instead of inflating spending.
Retirement account optimization. Maximizing contributions across 401(k), mega backdoor Roth, backdoor Roth IRA, HSA, and deferred compensation requires coordination. We build a multi-account strategy that puts each dollar in the most tax-efficient vehicle based on your current situation and projected future tax rates.
Financial independence planning. Many tech executives have the earning power to reach financial independence well before traditional retirement age. We build a plan around your specific timeline — whether that means retiring at 45, transitioning to advisory work, or simply making work optional. That includes investment management, withdrawal strategy, and a clear projection of when you cross the line.
Our Services
We provide comprehensive, fee-only financial planning covering every dimension of your financial life — equity compensation strategy, investment management, tax planning, retirement planning, cash flow management, estate planning, real estate consulting, Bitcoin integration, benefits and open enrollment guidance, and coordination with your CPA, estate attorney, and other professional advisors.
Every plan starts with what matters most to you. We follow a framework of Values, Goals, Decisions, and Actions — ensuring your money is aligned with the life you actually want to live.