RSU PlayBook

The RSU Playbook — "A Simple Handbook for Managing Your Equity Without the Tax Surprises"

This is not a textbook. You will not find dense legal language, footnoted citations, or pages of theory. This is a practical field guide — written for the software engineer, product manager, or finance professional who got an RSU grant, watched their first vest event come and go, and thought: "Wait — where did my money go?" You can read it cover to cover in about 45 minutes. Or you can jump directly to the chapter you need right now. Both approaches work. The chapters are designed to stand on their own, so feel free to dog-ear pages, fill in the tables, and come back to sections whenever a new grant or vest event is on the horizon. Here is what this handbook will do for you: Show you exactly what your RSUs are worth — not in theory, but in actual dollars after taxes. Explain what the IRS takes, and when — including the withholding gap most employees discover too late. Give you a decision framework for every vest event so you never face one unprepared. Build a simple habit that keeps you in control of your equity all year long. By the time you finish, you will know exactly what actions to take right now — and every vest event from here on out will feel less like a surprise and more like a planned financial.