Amazon & Microsoft Equity Planning for Seattle LGBTQ+ households
Amazon's back-loaded RSU schedule, Microsoft's on-hires and refreshers, and Washington's new 7% capital-gains tax over the annual threshold change how equity comp should be sequenced. For LGBTQ+ Seattle households, the plan should capture WA's income-tax-free structure while managing the new capital-gains exposure.
Schedule a free intro callWhy Seattle LGBTQ+ households approach amazon & microsoft equity planning differently
Amazon's traditional 5/15/40/40 RSU vesting concentrates value in years 3 and 4 — a very different sequencing problem than Microsoft's more even quarterly refreshers. For an Amazon-employed LGBTQ+ household, planning the year-3 and year-4 vesting windows against WA's capital-gains tax threshold, DAF contributions, and the federal marriage penalty is where the recoverable dollars live.
Washington's capital-gains tax on gains above the annual threshold ($278k for 2025, indexed) — 7%, rising to 9.9% on taxable gain above $1M — applies to long-term gains from RSUs sold after vesting. Sales at or near vest are usually short-term and taxed as ordinary income federally, but subsequent long-term gains stack. Coordinating both partners' sales across the threshold matters.
No state income tax makes Roth conversions and after-tax 401(k) contributions especially attractive here — the state doesn't take a bite going in or coming out. Aequitas plans the full picture: RSU sequencing, 10b5-1 setup, mega-backdoor Roth capacity, and DAF stacking.
Amazon & Microsoft equity planning rolls up into the broader Seattle city plan, which covers city, state, and federal tax and legal context in more depth.
What we plan for Seattle amazon & microsoft equity planning
Amazon 5/15/40/40 vest planning
The year-3 and year-4 concentration is a real cash-flow event — sequenced against WA capital-gains tax, DAF timing, and household diversification.
Microsoft refresher stacking
New-hire + refresher + on-hire RSUs coordinated across a rolling vest schedule and a same-sex spouse's separate equity or income.
WA capital-gains-tax planning
The $278k+ threshold, the 9.9% tier above $1M of gain, exclusions, and coordinating sales across the threshold instead of clustering into a single year.
Mega-backdoor Roth + no-state-tax stacking
Full DC-limit contributions where the plan supports it, plus Roth conversions timed to a lower-income year — no state tax overlay to worry about.
Related planning pages
- LGBTQ+ financial advisor in Seattle
The city-wide overview: how Aequitas works with Seattle LGBTQ+ households across cash flow, tax, investing, and estate.
- LGBTQ+ tax & cost-of-living guide: Seattle
State income tax, property tax, estate tax, and LGBTQ+ planning overlays specific to Seattle.
- Same-sex couples planning in Seattle
Marriage-penalty math, benefits coordination, and two-career planning for Seattle same-sex households.
- LGBTQ+ estate planning in Seattle
Trust structure, healthcare directives, and beneficiary audits specific to Seattle.
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From the blog
Amazon & Microsoft Equity Planning FAQs — Seattle
About the advisor
Aequitas Financial was founded by Taylor Bell, a fee-only fiduciary planner. LGBTQ+ planning isn't a side specialty here — it's the practice.
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