Minnie Lau CPA | Stock Option Planning + Tax Strategy

Stock option planning

is complicated – I can help

Services

You’re about to have a big financial event – an IPO, a SPAC, tender, or acquisition.

You’re ready to celebrate.

But what about your options?

Then you remember…

Taxes.

Maneuvering through stock options and tax decisions, with all of its twists and turns, can feel overwhelming.

I handle them for you - so you can go back to popping champagne.

WHAT I HELP WITH

Tenders

IPOs

Acquisitions

Stock-Option Planning

Founder Consulting

Forward

Contracts

I work with you and your personal financial team to guide you into making the right tax moves before, during, and after your liquidity events.

I figure out what the moving pieces are — the priority of all these moving pieces — and put together a strategy to meet your goals.

How I Work

Who I Am

ABOUT ME

I have a Masters of Science in Accountancy from SJSU and a decade of experience saving people from taxes. I’m licensed to practice by the California Board of Accountancy.

I’ve been featured in The NY Times (here and here).

I also love baking, biking, and growing veggies in my garden with my kids.

This is my third year working with Minnie. She tells me straight up what's going on with my taxes.

Laura R.

When I was offered our stock buy-out, Minnie really helped me and my wife with the details and tax planning. She is awesome to work with.

Jim + Kelly M.

Minnie is the best. When it comes to my finances, Minnie has always provided me with expert advice.

Eli B.

Testimonials

How does your tax planning pricing work?

We tailor our pricing based on your needs. See all pricing information by clicking here.
Can you work with my financial team?

Absolutely! I regularly partner with your existing team to provide the best tax and stock option planning strategy. If you do not already have a financial advisor or team, I'm happy to refer you to several trusted partners.
I don't need tax planning. Can you just file my tax returns?

No. At this time we are only providing tax preparation services for clients who engage us for a tax planning package. We apologize for the inconvenience.
What if I already have my own tax preparer or prepare my own?

Marvelous! You do not need to break up with your tax preparer if you have one you love. We are able to work on your equity compensation planning and tax planning in harmony with your existing tax professional. For those who very much enjoy doing their own taxes (who doesn't?), one of the deliverables for our tax planning is a blueprint of what your projected taxes will look like. We support your choice to stay on Team TurboTax! Depending on your tax return complexity we may make a recommendation to outsource to a tax professional - but that professional does not need to be us! We usually recommend hiring a pro if you're dealing with multiple tax jurisdictions in a given year (like moving from one state to a different one) or exercising shares living in states with AMT (here's looking at you California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, and Minnesota)
How do you store my sensitive information?

Securely! I use Canopy Tax for our sensitive client information. Canopy Tax is an IRS approved provider that meets all of the required cybersecurity measures. In addition to client file storage, it also provides a one-stop shop for document signing and communications.
What if I actively trade in cryptocurrency?

Cool, me too! I am happy to help with this as well since all of your income is relevant to stock options planning. Talk to me about this and I’ll be happy to provide guidance on this as well.
I've been using my company's stock exercise calculator to determine how much I owe if I exercise my stock options. Am I harming myself by doing this?

Possibly! Platforms like Carta and Shareworks have powerful tax forecasting tools built into their infrastructure. However, the information generated by these platforms can be one-dimensional, and the accuracy is 100% dependent on the information you input into their interface. If you've moved states or countries during your tenure with the company, your tax situation becomes more complicated since you're now vesting your equity compensation in multiple tax jurisdictions. Where you earn these stock options matters a lot. A small number of states (the largest being California) have Alternative Minimum Tax, which adds an additional layer of complexity. Understanding the mechanics of how this works and the ramifications you'll have if you decide to move after you exercise is really important for making an informed decision.
I only have Restricted Stock Units and no stock options. Can you still help me?

If you only have RSUs, we recommend you engage us with our bronze tax planning package. Please reference "How Does Your Tax Planning Pricing Work" for more details.
I’m really bullish on my company’s stock. Should I buy some now before they IPO? I want to maximize my upside without getting fleeced by taxes.

It depends! Those are excellent questions that require some projections to be run. Every client has different priorities. Many want to get a certain amount of liquidity out after taxes, others want to be tax efficient even if it means liquidity takes longer. Make an appointment so we can talk about what matters to you!

FAQ