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An executive compensation advisor helps senior leaders make strategic decisions about stock options, RSUs, performance shares, deferred compensation, and other equity-based pay. The work covers timing exercises and sales, managing concentration risk, coordinating tax strategy across multiple compensation vehicles, and integrating those decisions into a broader retirement, estate, and wealth plan. At CURO, we treat executive compensation as the strategic core of your wealth plan, not as a separate service.

The best advisor for executives with equity compensation is one who specializes in equity strategy, tax coordination, and integrated wealth planning rather than treating it as one service among many. Look for a fiduciary with deep experience in stock option exercise strategy, RSU tax planning, 10b5-1 plans, deferred comp elections, and concentration risk management. CURO Wealth Management works with executive women nationwide and in [city/region], and equity compensation is a defined specialty of our practice.

Yes. CURO Wealth Management is a woman-led firm that specializes in working with women executives, founders, and high-earning professionals. Many of our clients come to us because they want an advisor who understands both the technical complexity of executive compensation and the lived experience of being a woman managing a demanding career, a family, and a financial life that often gets overlooked or talked over by traditional firms.

A banker typically works for a financial institution and may earn commissions on the products they recommend. A financial advisor can operate under a suitability standard, which means recommendations need to be appropriate but not necessarily in your best interest. A fiduciary is legally required to act in your best interest at all times. CURO operates as a fiduciary, which means every recommendation we make is held to that standard.

The best time is as soon as you receive your first significant equity grant, but any point before a major vesting event, liquidity event, or retirement is valuable. Working with an advisor early allows you to plan exercise timing, build a tax-efficient diversification strategy, and avoid common mistakes that quietly cost executives tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is rarely too late to start, but the earlier you do, the more options you have.

Stock options are taxed differently depending on the type. Non-qualified stock options (NQSOs) are taxed as ordinary income at exercise, based on the difference between the strike price and the fair market value. Incentive stock options (ISOs) are not taxed at exercise for regular tax purposes but can trigger the alternative minimum tax (AMT), and they may qualify for long-term capital gains treatment if specific holding periods are met. Because tax outcomes depend on timing, income level, and other compensation, most executives benefit from running scenarios with an advisor before exercising.

Restricted stock units are taxed as ordinary income when they vest, based on the fair market value of the shares on the vesting date. Your employer typically withholds a portion of the shares to cover taxes, but the default withholding rate is often lower than what high-earning executives actually owe, which can create a surprise tax bill. Any gains or losses after vesting are taxed as capital gains when you eventually sell.

The right timing depends on the type of option, your current and projected tax bracket, the company's outlook, your overall concentration in company stock, and your liquidity needs. There is no universal answer, which is why running a tax and scenario analysis with an advisor before each exercise window is so valuable. Exercising at the wrong time can trigger AMT, push you into a higher tax bracket, or lock in a loss you could have avoided.

Deferred compensation lets you defer a portion of your salary or bonus to a future year, typically to lower your current tax bill and access the money in retirement or another lower-income year. Whether to participate depends on your current tax bracket versus your expected future bracket, your liquidity needs, the financial health of your employer (deferred comp is generally an unsecured promise), and how it fits into your broader retirement plan. We help executives evaluate these elections before the annual deadline.

Managing concentration risk typically involves a combination of strategies including scheduled diversification through 10b5-1 plans, charitable giving with appreciated stock, exchange funds, options-based hedging strategies, and direct selling around vesting events. The right mix depends on your tax situation, your conviction in the company, and your overall financial plan. We build diversification strategies that account for taxes, timing, and your long-term goals.

Yes. CURO Wealth Management works with executive women across the country. We are based in [city, state] and serve clients locally as well as nationwide through virtual meetings and ongoing planning relationships.

CURO charges transparent advisory fees based on the assets we manage and the complexity of the planning work involved. We are a fee-only fiduciary firm, which means we do not earn commissions on products and our compensation is fully disclosed before you engage with us. The easiest way to understand whether the value matches your situation is to schedule a short call.

Many general financial advisors are not deep specialists in equity compensation strategy. If your current advisor is not running tax projections on option exercises, modeling deferred compensation elections, or actively managing concentration risk, there is likely meaningful value being left on the table. We can work alongside your existing team or take over your full financial picture, whichever works best for you.

Yes. Coordinating with your CPA, estate attorney, and other professionals is a core part of how we work. Executive compensation decisions touch tax, estate, and legal planning, and our role is to make sure every professional in your corner is working from the same plan. If you do not yet have a CPA or estate attorney, we are happy to make introductions to trusted professionals in our network.