Changing Jobs & Life Events
Changing Jobs/Employers
Changing jobs likely involves a significant amount of strategic planning. Here's why
Changing Employers Frequently Means Lots of Important Decisions to Make Regarding Your Stock Comp
Changing from one tech industry employer to another (or planning on changing) involves a number of key decisions, relating both to your current employer and your future employer. We detail below three key items to consider, as well as provide a more in-depth guide for each.
(1) You Have Many Decisions to Make When You Leave Your Employer
If you have vested but unexercised stock options, you need to decide what you want to do with these holdings. Understanding and considering all of the factors (e.g. does a PTEP exist, do you want to exercise your vested options, how will you pay for the cost to exercise and associated taxes) can be a lot.
For an in-depth guide see: Company Departure
(2) Choosing a New Employer Gives You a Unique Opportunity to “Invest”
Choosing a new company to work for is a multi-faceted decision. But a frequently ignored or under-utilized dynamic is that if your new employer is a Pre-IPO tech company, you have the unique opportunity to gain investment exposure to the company's equity (as an employee with a stock-comp grant) --> which is something that even top-tier VCs may not be able to do!
For an in-depth guide see: Choosing a New Company to Work For
(3) Key Things to Ask and/or Negotiate With Your New Employer
Considering whether to join a company is a unique situation where you tend to have a knowledge gap regarding stock comp (versus current employees). It's also when a significant amount of negotiation frequently takes place. Knowing what questions to ask, and what major (salary, bonus, equity-comp package) and minor items can potentially be negotiated, can help you make a better decision and potentially increase your overall compensation.
For an in-depth guide see: New Employee Questions & Negotiation
Work with 30/40 Wealth
Have a big equity or tax decision ahead?
We're a fee-only fiduciary for tech employees with a lot of company equity. We build your multi-year plan: when to exercise options, what to sell and when, and how to cut the tax bill. Then we stay with you for the years that follow.
You're likely a fit if:
- You have $2M+ in company equity, including options
- Your next big decision is coming up: an IPO or lockup, a tender offer, exercising options, selling a large position, or leaving your company
- You want ongoing help with all of it: your equity, taxes, investments and the plan that ties them together
Kris Barney, CFA, EA
$750M+ in equity compensation advised
Fees from $12,500 a year, based on the assets we manage
We take on 1–2 new clients a month
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