Unvested RSU
Calculator.
Calculate exactly how much unvested equity you'd forfeit if you resigned today. Visualize your vesting cliff and find the perfect exit date.
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Timing Scenario Analysis
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What is RSU vesting?
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are a promise from your employer to give you shares of the company over time. Unlike stock options, you don't have to buy them—they are income. However, they only become "yours" on specific vesting dates. If you leave even one day before a vest, you forfeit those shares entirely. This dynamic is often called "Golden Handcuffs."
The Expensive Mistake
The single most expensive mistake tech workers make is resigning 2–4 weeks before a major vesting event. At many big tech companies (like Amazon or Google), a single quarterly vest can be worth $20,000–$80,000. Leaving just a few days early is functionally identical to handing that cash back to the company. Always verify your "cliff" dates before signing a new offer.
Negotiate Your Date
Don't be afraid to tell a new employer: "I have a major vest on October 15th worth $30,000. I'd like my start date to be October 17th." Most recruiting teams understand this math and will either wait for you or offer a one-time "buy-out" signing bonus to cover the unvested equity you're leaving behind.
RSU FAQ
How are RSUs taxed?
RSUs are taxed as ordinary income at the moment they vest, not when they are granted. Your company will typically withhold shares automatically through a sell to cover process, retaining 22-37% of your vesting shares to cover the immediate federal tax liability. You will also owe state income tax, which ranges from 0% in Texas to 13.3% in California, making your state of residence a significant factor in how much of each vest you actually keep. Any additional gain or loss after the vest date is treated as a capital gain when you eventually sell the shares.
What is a 1-year cliff?
A cliff means no shares vest at all until you reach a specific milestone date. A standard 1-year cliff means you receive 0% of your grant if you leave at month 11, then 25% vests all at once on your 1-year anniversary. After the cliff, vesting typically continues quarterly — so at 15 months you would have 25% plus one quarterly increment, usually 6.25%. The practical implication is that resigning even one day before your cliff date costs you the entire first year's worth of equity.
What happens to my unvested RSUs when I quit?
All unvested RSUs are forfeited on your last day of employment — they return to the company's equity pool with no compensation to you. Unlike vested shares, which are yours permanently regardless of when you leave, unvested grants have no value once your employment ends. This is why the timing of your resignation relative to your vesting schedule matters enormously — leaving two weeks before a quarterly vest can cost you thousands of dollars that you would have received simply by waiting. Use the calculator above to see your exact forfeiture amount based on your grant details and planned exit date.
How do I calculate the money I'm leaving on the table when switching jobs?
To calculate your unvested equity forfeiture, you need four pieces of information: your total grant value or share count, your grant date, your vesting schedule type, and your planned resignation date. Enter these into the calculator above and it will build your complete vesting timeline, identify every vest event that falls after your exit date, and show you the total pre-tax and after-tax value you would forfeit. Many mid-to-senior tech workers discover they are leaving $20,000 to $80,000 on the table simply because they did not model their exit timing before accepting a new offer.
Can I negotiate my start date to capture a vesting cliff?
Yes — and most candidates never ask. If your next significant vest event falls within 30 to 60 days of your planned start date, most employers will accommodate a short delay for a qualified candidate. The framing that works: "I have a vesting event on [date] worth approximately $X. Would it be possible to set my start date to [date plus two days]?" Recruiters at tech companies hear this regularly from senior engineers and rarely push back — the cost to them is a two-week wait, the benefit to you can be tens of thousands of dollars. The calculator above shows you the exact dollar amount to reference in that conversation.
What is Amazon's RSU vesting schedule?
Amazon uses a backloaded 5/15/40/40 vesting schedule, which is significantly different from the standard 4-year/1-year cliff used by most other tech companies. In year 1 you receive 5% of your total grant, year 2 is 15%, and years 3 and 4 are 40% each — meaning 80% of your equity does not vest until your third and fourth years. Amazon employees in their first two years have very little vested equity, making the golden handcuffs particularly strong early in the tenure. Select Amazon backloaded (5/15/40/40) from the vesting schedule dropdown above to model your exact situation.