Question 1

Who do you work with?

Accepted Answer

We work with high income professionals whose compensation includes RSUs, bonuses, and other forms of equity.  Most of our clients earn at least one million of ordinary income each year, and live in high income tax states such as California or New York.
For clients in states with no income tax such as Texas, Washington, Nevada, or Florida, we typically begin working together once ordinary income is at or above two million. The planning needs room to be meaningful and effective.
We also work with clients preparing for large liquidity events. We are a fit if the net long term gain will be at least one million in California or New York, or two million in no income tax states.
Our best work happens in ongoing relationships where equity and crypto are a continuing part of your financial life. We plan ahead across years, not after the fact.

Question 2

What exactly is premium tax advisory?  I've never heard of it before.

Accepted Answer

Premium Tax Advisory is our firm’s signature service. We created it because traditional tax prep and once a year reviews do not work for high earning W-2 professionals with equity and crypto. Filing in April only reports what already happened. It does not shape what comes next.
This service is proactive. We meet during the year, review your income and timing, and implement strategies that reduce, defer, or shift taxes. The focus is long term planning across multiple years, not one-off reactions.
Some planning can begin with a smaller cash commitment of around fifty thousand, but for clients earning one million or more, the results are usually most meaningful when the planning level is closer to one hundred thousand or above. The amount you invest should match the scale of your income. This is not about spending money to save money. It is about using the tools available to you to shape your tax position on purpose.
Expect to spend about five to ten hours of your own time each year across planning meetings, document review, and approvals. This is a collaborative process. We do the heavy lifting, and you understand the decisions we are making.
The goal is simple. Stop reacting and start planning.

By December, you already know what April will look like. Tax filing becomes the final step, not the main event.

Question 3

I only have Restricted Stock Units and no stock options.  Can you still help me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. RSUs are not a problem. In fact, most of our clients have compensation that is heavily tied to RSU vesting. The key factor is not whether you have stock options. It is the scale of your ordinary income.
If your RSUs push your W-2 income to one million or more each year in a high income tax state, then the planning will be meaningful. That level of income creates timing questions, withholding gaps, and concentrated stock exposure that benefit from proactive strategy.
If your RSUs are smaller and your income stays below that threshold, then the planning tends to be incremental rather than transformative. In that case, you will get more value from my book when it is released. It will explain how RSUs are taxed and how to avoid the most common pitfalls early on.
So yes, RSUs are welcome here. The determining factor is the income they generate.

Question 4

I work for a pre-public company.  Do you work with folks like me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many of our clients work at privately held companies. Public versus private is not the determining factor. What matters is the size of your income or the size of your upcoming liquidity event.
If your W-2 income is already at or above one million in a high income tax state, we can work together regardless of whether your company is public or private. If your income is below that, but you are preparing for a liquidity event, then we are a good fit if the net long term gain will be at least one million in California or New York, or two million in states with no income tax.
Timing is important. Planning needs room. If the tender or secondary event will settle too close to year end, there may not be enough time to design, review, and implement the strategy calmly. 
If your compensation is established and your liquidity timeline allows space for thoughtful planning, then yes, you are likely a strong fit.

Question 5

I don't need tax planning.  Can you just file my tax returns?

Accepted Answer

No. We do not offer tax return preparation as a stand alone service. Tax filing is included as part of Premium Tax Advisory, because the planning and the filing need to be aligned. Filing is the final step, not the service itself.

Question 6

Do you work with clients outside California?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  We work with clients across the United States. However, your state of residency has a significant impact on whether certain planning strategies are effective. Each state has its own rules around income sourcing, charitable deductions, entity treatment, withholding, and conformity with federal law.
Because of this, we review state impact before onboarding. For example, a strategy that works well in California or New York may not work as intended in Connecticut if the state does not allow a state tax deduction for charitable contribution. The planning needs to hold up under your state’s tax code, not just the federal one.

We are a strong fit for high income clients in states like California and New York, and for clients in no income tax states once their ordinary income or liquidity event meets the thresholds where planning becomes meaningful. The key is that the strategy must make sense in your jurisdiction, not just in theory.

Question 7

Do you help with business taxes?

Accepted Answer

We do not prepare business tax returns and we do not provide bookkeeping. Your S Corporation, partnership, or LLC return will continue to be prepared by your existing accountant or accounting team.

However, business income and distributions often have a meaningful impact on your personal tax position. We account for the business activity in our planning and we coordinate with the accountant who files the business return to make sure the strategy and the filing are aligned.

If the business adds significant complexity to your personal tax strategy, we may charge an additional fee to cover the planning, analysis, and coordination required. You will always know these costs in advance.

Question 8

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

We keep the process simple.  The first step is a 15 minute call where we learn about your situation and determine if there is a fit.  If it looks like a match, we schedule a longer second meeting to walk you through our process, outline fees, and answer your questions.  From there, if we both feel good moving forward, we begin onboarding.

Equity Compensation Tax Advisor For High Income Professionals

Plan your IPO, tender, or liquidity event with confidence.

FOLLOW THROUGH

Stephanie I.

M. F.

Jim + Kelly M.

I specialize in working with high income tech professionals who face ongoing stock based income. Most clients fall into one of these groups: