Gini Loh System Tools

Compensation Calculator

Total Compensation Visualizer

Two offers, both described as $200k. Which one actually pays more?

Base salary is the easy part. This breaks out bonus, signing cash and vesting shares so an offer can be compared on cash you can spend.

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What this calculator answers, what you need, and what to do with the result

Have this in front of you

  • The written offer: base, target bonus, signing, and the equity grant.
  • The vesting schedule and the current share price, or the strike price for options.
  • What the health plan costs you monthly, and the 401(k) match.

Words on this page, in plain English

RSU
Restricted stock unit. Shares that become yours on a schedule, taxed as income when they do.
Strike price
What you pay per share to exercise an option. Worth nothing until the share price is above it.
Cliff
The waiting period before any equity vests, usually one year. Leave before it and you take nothing.

What to do with the answer

  1. 01Apply a haircut to private-company equity. A paper valuation is not cash until someone buys it.
  2. 02Compare the first four years of cash separately from the equity story.
  3. 03Ask what happens to unvested grants if the company is acquired.

Global Trajectory Parameters

Spendable Cash & Tax Drag Projections

Year-by-year side-by-side analysis (Offer A Left, Offer B Right)

Offer A Cash Line
Offer B Cash Line
-$109,119$264$109,647$219,030$328,413Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Warning: $6,500 estimated federal tax shortfall due to flat 22% sell-to-cover withholding vs your estimated 35% marginal rate.Warning: $7,150 estimated federal tax shortfall due to flat 22% sell-to-cover withholding vs your estimated 35% marginal rate.Warning: $7,865 estimated federal tax shortfall due to flat 22% sell-to-cover withholding vs your estimated 35% marginal rate.Warning: $8,652 estimated federal tax shortfall due to flat 22% sell-to-cover withholding vs your estimated 35% marginal rate.Unrealized option purchase liabilityUnrealized option purchase liabilityUnrealized option purchase liabilityUnrealized option purchase liability
Hover mouse cursor over the chart columns to read exact yearly breakdowns.

Offer A (Public Company) Outcomes

Highest Cash Yield

4-Yr Spendable Cash

$725,595

Liquid, post-tax cash

Total Paper Wealth

$0

Illiquid LTIP value

Out-of-Pocket Drag

-$7,200

Purchase cost + health

Exit Readiness No.

$0

Option purchase cost

⚠️ Excludes AMT

Offer B (Private / Partnership) Outcomes

4-Yr Spendable Cash

$484,594

Liquid, post-tax cash

Total Paper Wealth

$290,063

Illiquid LTIP value

Out-of-Pocket Drag

-$104,800

Purchase cost + health

Exit Readiness No.

$100,000

Option purchase cost

⚠️ Excludes AMT

Independent Arbitrage Bridge

Considering consulting or 1099 contract work instead?

Compare this offer against a 1099 Sole Prop or S-Corp using 2026 IRS statutory limits ($72k Solo 401k & QBI).

Compare to 1099 Contract →
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Strategy guide

Comparing Public vs. Private Firm Offers

Private firms or partnerships often match publicly listed corporate offers on paper by quoting substantial LTIP grants or options based on speculative current values. However, because private shares/units are illiquid and purchasing option/shares can require out-of-pocket cash, their real-time cash flow footprint can be negative if auto-exercised. Use this visualizer to model:

  • How option purchase costs reduce your first 4 years of spendable cash.
  • How much of your wealth is locked up in paper assets vs. liquid bank balances.
  • The compound growth difference between a public stock and a private valuation.

Pro Tip

Toggle Auto-Exercise Options to see if your base salary and bonus can absorb the grant price cost of your options as they vest, or if exercising will require dipping into savings.

The Math Engine

Stock growth model

Value_t = Base_Value * (1 + growth_rate)^(t - 1)

ESPP yield boost

Yield = (Base * Contrib_%) * (Discount_% / (1 - Discount_%))

Net spendable cash

Cash_t = Salary + Bonus_t + Vested_Liquid_Stock_Units_t + ESPP_Yield_t - Tax_t - Purchase_Cost_t - Health_t

FAQ

How does the LTIP / Stock Unit Growth Engine work?

Vested stock units/LTIP are projected over a 4-year horizon. If a growth rate (10% or 20%) is selected, the stock or current value compounds annually: Value = Base Value * (1 + g)^(Year - 1). Growth is applied to both liquid stock units and paper stock units/options.

What is the difference between Stock Units and Options/Paper LTIP in the chart?

Public stock units are treated as immediate liquidity. Once vested, their post-tax value is added directly to your Net Spendable Cash Flow line. Private stock units and Options (ISOs/NSOs) are illiquid. They are tracked under "Paper Wealth" (Paper LTIP) and do not boost your cash flow. However, if Auto-Exercise is enabled, the out-of-pocket cost to purchase option shares is subtracted from your cash line.

How is the ESPP Yield Boost calculated?

If you participate in a quick-sale ESPP program, buying stock at a discount generates an immediate yield. The formula is: ESPP Yield = (Base Salary * Contribution %) * (Discount % / (1 - Discount %)). For example, contributing 10% on a $150k salary with a 15% discount yields a cash flow boost of $2,647 annually.

Are retirement contributions and tax brackets accurate?

We calculate federal income taxes using progressive brackets (Single or Married filing jointly) applied to cash compensation plus liquid vested stock units. State taxes are modeled as representative flat rates (e.g. CA: 9.3%, NY: 6.5%, MD: 4.75%). You can override this by inputting a custom effective tax rate manually.

AMT Warning Tooltip

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)

Purchasing options or partnership units in a private company can trigger Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) on the spread between the grant price and current value, even though the shares cannot be sold for cash. Consult a CPA to model your AMT exposure before purchasing large blocks of options.

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