Tax-first wealth planning

Tax Strategies Built Specifically for High-Income W2 Earners in California

You don’t have a generic tax problem. You have a W2 compensation problem.

Households earning $1M+ through wages, bonuses, and equity (RSUs, ISOs, NSOs) face unique exposures that standard financial advice simply doesn’t address.

The difference can easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Find your strategies
~50%
Combined marginal rate at the top W2 bracket
13.3%
California’s top marginal rate
$1M+
Household income

The W2 problem

Most tax strategies were built for business owners — not W2 professionals like you.

Standard approaches assume you can create pass-through entities, take big depreciation, or restructure compensation.

Your reality is different: W2 income + complex equity packages.

Every year you delay specialized planning, more of your hard-earned compensation slips away.

The real cost of this mismatch

  • RSU vest
    RSU vests that push you into the highest tax bracket with no plan
  • Q4 bonus
    Q4 bonuses that are under-withheld, creating penalties
  • ISO exercise
    ISO exercises that trigger unexpected AMT
  • Restricted stock
    Missed 83(b) election timing with permanent consequences
  • Income crosses $1M
    Combined marginal rates approaching 50% in California

We approach your wealth with three non-negotiable principles:

01

Tax first

Taxes are the single largest destroyer of wealth for high earners. We start here.

02

Scrutiny-ready

Every strategy is built on the Internal Revenue Code, court cases, and Treasury regulations

03

Earliest stage

We act before the tax bill arrives — while your best options are still available

Find out where you stand

Take the Assessment

Take our quick strategy assessment to discover which legitimate, California-specific approaches align with your exact compensation mix. It takes about 2 minutes. A Serra team member will personally review your profile and follow up within one business day.

Start the Assessment →