vested stocks shouldn't count towards your salary (since you are taking a risk holding it) - and in fact i would garner to say that pre-vested stock barely counts as your salary!
I disagree when talking about public companies. If you are vesting 1MM/yr in equity then you can turn that into cash. The stock price will change, but that just means your comp changes. You may not be able to get that matched, but you would still see a pay cut leaving for another job.
And if you are vesting RSUs you are paying tax on FMV at vest.
I think the parent is saying “post-vest gains don’t count as salary” (and per the IRS, they don’t), and you’re saying (if I read you right) that market value at vest counts as salary (which the IRS also agrees with), but that the market conditions introduce an element of risk in your salary.
So, you’re both right? ;)
I didn’t read the blog post closely enough to figure out if he was talking about pre-vest gains or post-vest gains, but certainly caveats apply.
On the other hand, similar caveats apply to, say, hedge fund traders whose comp is subject to market conditions.
I could tell a similar story about 60x'ing my salary in 20 years with very similar numbers for the same reason. The difference is that I got my first programming job in 2000 and my initial level setting was on relatively rough times. I remember seeing the bumper stickers circa 2003—"please god, just one more bubble". Well, regardless of economic bubble status, I think the sentiment has been fulfilled. I do, however worry about the cohort of <= 30 YO software engineers who have never known a down market and may have very high hedonistic adaptation.
Any younger engineers who ask I give the same advice Shaq does to NBA rookies: "Save half!"
I don't want to be rude, but this post just seems like pure promotion for the mentoring service the author provides. I'm curious though, if you're pulling in 1MM/year, why bother shilling yourself for a couple hundred an hour for mentoring sessions?
300/hr annualizes to 600k. And just because he was making 1MM/yr doesn't mean that's market rate. In 2017 Apple stock was in the 30s. Most of his comp was coming from equity. And Leon started instamentor.
14 comments
[ 1.3 ms ] story [ 41.3 ms ] threadAnd if you are vesting RSUs you are paying tax on FMV at vest.
So, you’re both right? ;)
I didn’t read the blog post closely enough to figure out if he was talking about pre-vest gains or post-vest gains, but certainly caveats apply.
On the other hand, similar caveats apply to, say, hedge fund traders whose comp is subject to market conditions.
Any younger engineers who ask I give the same advice Shaq does to NBA rookies: "Save half!"
"And if I could do it, you definitely can."
Go f yourself.