Why golden handcuffs happen at L7 and how to unlock them
At a typical L7 engineer salary with $700k to $900k total comp, it is easy to feel rich and stuck at the same time. The exit is a repeatable savings mix plus transparent math that converts today’s cash and RSUs into a work optional plan in 5 to 10 years. This walkthrough keeps the math simple and the rules consistent with Bay Area cost of living.
Your L7 money map for the Bay Area
Consistency beats complexity at this level. The core levers are a high income savings rate you can sustain, an RSU selling strategy that keeps risk contained, and an allocation built to ride pre-retirement volatility. Aim for invested assets that can fund a conservative withdrawal range while local costs stay covered.
- Use RSUs for cash flow and risk control rather than speculation
- Set savings rate targets by comp band that you can hold through cycles
- Choose asset allocation that fits pre-retirement volatility
- Run work optional math to size the target portfolio and breakeven range
- Price Bay Area cost of living into cash needs and safety buckets
What to put on autopilot this year
Use the following as decision rules you can set once and review quarterly. Keywords used naturally: RSU selling strategy, Bay Area cost of living, work optional plan, retirement planning for tech.
Quantify your comp mix
Break out base, bonus, and target RSU grant. Note vest cadence and blackout windows. Track actual tax withholding on vests. This shows how much cash you can really save from an L7 engineer salary.
Pick a savings rate you can keep
Choose a base high income savings rate, often 40 to 60 percent of after tax income at this tier. Add an auto sweep so every vest funds goals the same week.
Decide your RSU rule in advance
Adopt a default RSU selling strategy such as sell on vest within two business days. Route proceeds to cash buckets and investment accounts. If you hold, cap employer stock as a share of liquid net worth.
Build a three bucket allocation
Keep near term cash, intermediate bonds, and long term equities. A simple pattern is 12 months of spending in cash, 2 to 4 years in short duration or bonds, and the rest in a global equity sleeve. Rebalance quarterly or after large vests.
Price local costs into your runway
List rent or mortgage, childcare or school, transportation, healthcare, and taxes. Convert to a monthly total and multiply by 36 to 60 to size cash and bonds. Update when lease terms or dependents change. This anchors the Bay Area cost of living in your plan.
Run the optionality math once, then iterate
Target invested assets that could cover spending with a 3 to 4 percent draw. Compute years to target using your savings rate and conservative return ranges. Before you commit, model your scenarios in Nauma to see how vest schedules, savings rate, and allocation change time to optionality.
Add guardrails and reviews
Use triggers such as “if portfolio drops 15 percent, pause discretionary upgrades” and “if employer stock exceeds 10 percent of liquid net worth, trim within 30 days.” Review quarterly and after promotions, refreshes, or life events.
A Bay Area L7 example with real numbers
Illustrative only for an SF family at $800k total comp.
| Item | Amount |
| Base salary | $300,000 |
| Bonus | $100,000 |
| Target RSUs at grant | $400,000 |
| Estimated blended taxes and withholding | about 45 percent |
| After tax cash from base plus bonus | about $220,000 |
| RSU vests after tax if sold on vest | about $220,000 |
| Potential savings at a 50 percent rate | about $220,000 per year |
| Target living costs | $18,000 per month |
Breakeven check
- Spending target is $216,000 per year
- Portfolio needed at a 3.5 percent draw is $216,000 divided by 0.035 which is about $6.17 million
- Starting at $1.5 million invested and adding $220,000 per year with a 4 to 6 percent return range could reach $6.2 million in about 8 to 10 years
Avoidable pitfalls when you are within 5 to 10 years of optionality
- Treating RSUs like a bonus instead of using a preset sell rule
- Letting employer stock exceed 10 to 15 percent of liquid net worth
- Modeling pre tax instead of after tax cash and ignoring local cost shocks
- Running too much equity risk inside a five year work optional plan window
- Setting a savings rate that fails during a market drawdown
Fast answers for L7s comparing timelines
How should L7 comp translate into a savings target
Many set 40 to 60 percent of after tax income as a base, then direct all RSU vests to savings to hold the rate through volatility.
What is a simple way to manage RSUs without timing markets
Sell on vest and rebalance. If you hold, cap exposure as a percent of liquid net worth and trim on a schedule.
How do Bay Area costs change the target portfolio size
Higher fixed costs raise the required portfolio. Lock housing thoughtfully and size cash plus bonds to at least three years of spending.
What allocation works for retirement planning for tech before age 45
A three bucket mix that keeps three to five years of known spending outside equities can reduce sequence risk. Rebalance quarterly and after large vests.
What if refresh grants drop or stock underperforms
Re run the plan, trim fixed costs, and confirm that your savings rate still supports the date for your work optional plan.
