THE WALKAWAY NUMBER · CHAPTER 5 · PRICE THE TRAP BY QUARTER

The Handcuff Calculator

Calculate after-tax forfeiture by quarter, compare it with a supportable alternative, and locate a financial review window.

Output: An issued-tranche waterfall, three share-price cases, quarterly opportunity comparison, and first candidate crossover month.

Time: About 45 minutes after retrieving the award documents and alternative evidence

After-tax forfeiture todayUnresolved

Monthly cash advantageUnresolved

Full-run business profitUnresolved

Base crossoverUnresolved

Record statusOpen

1. Set the common date, tax, and price convention

As-of dateAssumed combined tax rate, percentShare-price assumption source and date

Grant or trancheVest dateShare countPlanning share priceEmployment condition from governing document

Open

3. Document the supportable alternative

Current annual cash compensationVerified alternative annual cash compensationAdditional monthly benefits or coverage costOne-time transition costsSigned offer, recruiter range, or other evidence

4. Probability-weight alternative equity

Enter 0 if excluded. If included, the model applies the probability and tax assumptions when the dated value becomes available.

Alternative equity gross valueProbability, percentExpected availability date

5. Convert business revenue into profit

Don't enter gross consulting revenue as profit. Subtract nonbillable time, expenses, insurance, taxes, and unpaid ramp months.

Gross monthly billings at full run rateMonthly business expensesMonthly insurance and benefit costProbability of supportable demand, percentRamp months to full run rate

6. Read the share-price sensitivity

75% of planning priceUnresolved

100% of planning priceUnresolved

125% of planning priceUnresolved

Quarter	Date	Remaining shares	After-tax forfeiture	Added cash	Weighted equity	Business profit	Opportunity value
Complete every tranche and alternative input.

A crossover is not an instruction to resign. It is a candidate financial review month under the stated assumptions.

A near crossover supports market research and legal, tax, and benefits review. A distant one may support staying through a tranche. Neither result overrides health, family needs, agreement restrictions, or qualified advice.

Nonfinancial review triggers and household boundary

Professional-review flags

Completion test

Enter every issued unvested tranche and condition, label the tax and price assumptions, document the supportable alternative, resolve transition costs and benefits, and run every quarterly comparison.

Monday Move

Retrieve the next four tranches before admiring the dashboard total. The headline is marketing. The waterfall is the contract.

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