Financial Planning for Tech Professionals
Turning RSUs, stock options, and equity compensation into wealth you can actually keep.
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Earning equity and building wealth from it are two different skills.
Most tech professionals are very good at the first: landing the role, negotiating the offer, and growing into a bigger scope. But compensation often comes in pieces: a base salary, a bonus, RSUs that vest quarterly, and sometimes stock options or an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP). Each piece has its own tax rules, deadlines, and risks, and few people have time to see how they fit together.
That’s where we come in. Palm Capital Management is a fiduciary financial advisor in Calabasas, California, serving tech professionals and tech employees with RSUs, stock options, and ESPPs across the San Fernando and Conejo Valleys, the wider Los Angeles tech community, and the rest of the country. Decisions about when to exercise, when to sell, and how much company stock is too much all interact with your taxes, your cash needs, and your long-term goals.
Where We Start: Your Equity Picture
Rather than looking at each grant on its own, we start by mapping your full equity picture: every grant you hold, what has vested and what hasn’t, the type of award, the tax treatment that applies, and how much of your net worth is tied to a single company.
That map shows what is actually yours, what it’s likely to be worth after taxes, and how exposed you are if the stock drops. In California, where state income tax applies on top of federal, that after-tax view matters even more. It’s a far more useful starting point than a share price, because it reflects your situation, not a headline number.
Your wealth by source
Vested company stock
Unvested RSUs
Stock options
Diversified investments and cash
Tied to one employer
What We Help Tech Professionals Think Through
RSU tax planning and withholding.
RSUs are taxed as ordinary income when they vest, and the default withholding is often lower than what high earners actually owe. We build tax planning into your plan by estimating your real federal and California tax liability in advance, so April doesn’t bring a surprise.
Stock option planning: ISOs and NSOs.
Exercising can significantly change your tax bill, and incentive stock options can trigger the alternative minimum tax. California has its own AMT rules, so we model both state and federal before you act, not after.
Concentrated stock strategy.
When a large share of your net worth rides on your employer, one bad quarter can hit your paycheck and your portfolio at the same time. California taxes capital gains as ordinary income, so the timing of a sale matters. We build a gradual diversification plan around your tax situation and your comfort level.
ESPP planning.
An employee stock purchase plan can be a real benefit, but how and when you sell determines how the gain is taxed. We help you decide whether to hold or sell, and how to fit the plan into the bigger picture.
Pre-IPO planning, tender offers, and liquidity events.
Lock-up periods, trading windows, and pre-arranged trading plans all shape when and how you can sell. We plan for a liquidity event, working with your CPA and attorney, so a windfall becomes a plan rather than a tax surprise.
Stress-testing the plan and your big goals.
Tech careers can move fast, and so can the market. We model your plan against a layoff, a stock that stays flat for years, or a delayed IPO, alongside goals like buying a home in Calabasas or the Conejo Valley, funding a startup, or taking a sabbatical.
Our Approach
Palm Capital Management uses fundamental analysis and a long-term, tactical approach to build portfolios around your goals, not the other way around. As fiduciaries, we’re legally obligated to act in your best interest, and we keep our own investable assets alongside our clients’, so our incentives stay aligned with yours.
We also believe cost matters. Hidden fees in mutual funds and other structured products can quietly erode a portfolio over time, so we favor low-cost, transparent holdings that give you direct ownership and more control. For clients managing taxable gains, direct ownership also gives us more flexibility in how we handle them.
Portfolios built around your goals
Fiduciary, invested alongside you
Low-cost, transparent holdings
Common questions
Tech Professional Financial Planning FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we hear most from people building wealth through equity compensation.
Got more questions?
Ask us anythingShould I sell my RSUs when they vest?
Not automatically, but it’s worth treating as an active decision. RSUs are taxed as income when they vest, so holding the shares is effectively buying your employer’s stock with after-tax dollars. Whether to keep or sell depends on how concentrated you already are, your tax situation, and your goals.
How much company stock is too much?
There’s no universal number. We look at how much of your net worth is tied to one company, and how much of your income depends on the same employer, since that risk compounds.
What’s the difference between ISOs and NSOs?
Non-qualified stock options are generally taxed as ordinary income on the spread when you exercise. Incentive stock options can receive more favorable tax treatment if you meet holding-period rules, but exercising them may trigger the alternative minimum tax. The right approach depends on your numbers, so we model it first.
How are RSUs and stock options taxed in California?
Both federal and California tax apply, and California doesn’t offer a lower rate for long-term capital gains. That makes withholding gaps and sale timing especially important. We coordinate with your CPA, so the projections and your tax return tell the same story.
Can you help with pre-IPO equity if my company is still private?
Yes. Private-company equity is illiquid, and its value is uncertain, so we plan around what you have today without counting on a future payout, and we prepare you for a tender offer, secondary sale, or IPO if one comes.
Do you work with tech professionals outside Calabasas?
Yes. Our office is on Calabasas Road in Calabasas, California, and we meet with clients in person or by video. We work with clients across the country.
Words from Our Clients
Independent Google reviews from those who trust us with their financial future.
“Alano has been managing my now quite sizeable Schwab rollover IRA and revocable trust accounts for 11 years. I’ve left practically all investment choices to him. The funds have grown substantially under his guidance. He and his staff have always been available and responsive to any requests I have for documents or explanations.”
— Donald S.
This is an unpaid solicited client testimonial. The client has had a financial relationship with Alano Massi for over 10 years and is providing his opinion. A client testimonial does not guarantee future investment success and should not be that any client or prospective client will experience a higher level of investment performance. This may present a conflict of interest as this particular client’s experience may or may not be the same as another client’s experience.
“I have worked with Alano Massi for several years and it has been an exceptional experience. Alano is very professional and knowledgeable, and he always makes time to understand my specific goals. Alano and his staff provide prompt and friendly communication, always available to answer my questions and ease my concerns.”
— Sarah C.
This is an unpaid solicited client testimonial. The client has had a financial relationship with Alano Massi for over 7 years and is providing her opinion. A client testimonial does not guarantee future investment success and should not be that any client or prospective client will experience a higher level of investment performance. This may present a conflict of interest as this particular client’s experience may or may not be the same as another client’s experience.
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Ready to Turn Your Equity Into a Plan?
Schedule a complimentary consultation with our Calabasas financial planning team and let’s build the plan that turns your compensation into lasting wealth.