If your largest asset is company stock, your advisor should specialize in it.
We work with engineers, product leaders, and senior operators with $250K–$2M+ in company equity — RSUs, ISOs, pre-IPO grants, and post-liquidity wealth. In-person in Raleigh and Northern Virginia / DC — virtual nationwide.
We built The Equity Architect around clients we kept seeing.
The First-Cliff
Mid-career engineers and product leaders who just hit their first major vesting event. The paper number on their grant portal is suddenly real, and the tax implications are bigger than anything they’ve faced before.
The Stacker
Senior ICs and managers several years into a stable public-company grant stack. Each new refresh adds to a growing concentration in one ticker, and the “I’ll deal with it later” approach is wearing thin.
The Paper Prisoner
Long-tenured employees at pre-IPO companies sitting on substantial ISO grants. The spread between strike and 409A has grown into six- or seven-figure territory, and every exercise decision now carries AMT consequences.
The 90-Day Sprinter
Employees who just left (or are about to leave) a company with unexercised options and a post-termination exercise window measured in days, not years. Every decision is high-stakes and reversible only by writing checks.
The Paper Millionaire
Early employees and founders coming out of a successful IPO, acquisition, or tender offer. The equity finally converted to real money, and the questions shift from “how do I not mess this up” to “how do I make this last.”
You think you should be able to figure this out.
The IRS default supplemental wage withholding rate is 22%. Senior engineers in the 37% bracket leave a 15-point gap — paid in full the following April.
The complexity is real.
The equity number is real. So is the tax complexity — and no calculator tells you which call is right for your specific situation.
Most advisors weren’t built for this.
Most financial advisors treat equity compensation like a line item. We built an entire practice around it.
A clearer map changes everything.
The tech professionals who navigate this well aren’t smarter than you. They just got a clearer map.
It's wrong that you spent years building real wealth only to navigate it with tools designed for everyone else.
Nobody built you a clear map. We did.
The stress is real.
Between vesting cliffs, AMT exposure, blackout windows, and tax deadlines — equity compensation can feel less like a reward and more like a second job you never applied for.
Get personalized guidance on your ISO exercise strategy, RSU planning, and long-term wealth plan from a CFP® who specializes in equity compensation for tech professionals.
Work with an Advisor
Mitchell Ludwig, CFP®
Carolina Wealth Partners
Registered CFP® Professional- 10+ Years Serving High-Net Worth Clients & Tech Professionals
- Partner at Carolina Wealth Partners
- Co-Inventor of The EQUITY System™
- Specializes in RSUs, ISOs, ESPPs, and IPO/Acquisition Liquidity Events
Mitchell Ludwig is a CFP® and Registered Investment Adviser Representative of Carolina Wealth Partners. Securities offered through United Planners Financial Services, Member FINRA/SIPC.
Important disclosures
Mitchell Ludwig is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a Registered Investment Adviser Representative of Carolina Wealth Partners. Securities are offered through United Planners Financial Services, Member FINRA/SIPC. Carolina Wealth Partners and The Equity Architect are separate entities. Jon Ludwig is a Series 65–registered Investment Adviser Representative and promoter.
All content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Examples, illustrations, and client archetypes are composite in nature and do not represent any specific client. All tools and calculators are estimates only. Consult a qualified tax advisor or CFP® professional before making any financial decisions.
All marketing content is reviewed and approved by United Planners compliance in accordance with SEC Marketing Rule (Rule 206(4)–1). Past performance is not indicative of future results.