LGBTQ+ financial planning built for Seattle
Capitol Hill, Ballard, and Columbia City anchor one of the country's largest LGBTQ+ communities, sitting on top of one of its biggest tech compensation markets. Aequitas works with Seattle queer professionals on Amazon, Microsoft, and startup equity plans built for two careers.
Schedule a free intro callWhy Seattle LGBTQ+ households deserve their own advisor
Seattle's LGBTQ+ population is heavily concentrated in tech and adjacent sectors — Amazon, Microsoft, the cloud and gaming ecosystem, plus a strong nonprofit, healthcare, and creative layer. That mix means two-engineer or engineer-plus-PM couples are common, and equity comp is usually the biggest single planning lever.
Washington has no state income tax, which flips the usual Roth-vs-traditional math, makes mega-backdoor contributions more valuable, and rewards careful Roth conversions early in retirement. But the 2022 capital-gains tax now hits large equity sales above the threshold, so timing RSU and ISO transactions actually matters again. Most generic advisors haven't reworked their playbooks for it.
Add in that some long-term Washington same-sex couples were registered domestic partners before marriage equality and never formally converted, and the legal-history audit becomes part of the plan, not an afterthought.
Jump to the Seattle planning topic you're here for
The real cost of living somewhere you can be yourself
Capitol Hill, Ballard, and Columbia City cost real money compared to Spokane, the Tri-Cities, or most of Eastern Washington. The safety premium is why — the rest of the state is a very different environment for a visible queer household.
Housing premium vs. Spokane / Eastern WA
~$1,500–$2,200 / month
Annual cost (no state income tax offset)
~$22k–$32k / year of gross income
What it typically displaces
A full mega-backdoor Roth or two years of aggressive Roth-conversion capacity
WA's no-income-tax structure gives you real oxygen to absorb the premium — mega-backdoor Roth and post-career Roth conversions are how you turn it into long-term wealth instead of just monthly rent.
Build a plan that respects where you liveWhat we plan with Seattle LGBTQ+ clients
Amazon & Microsoft RSU planning
Vest-and-sell discipline, 10b5-1 plans, and concentration unwinds — sequenced against the WA capital-gains tax threshold and federal AMT.
WA no-income-tax Roth strategy
Mega-backdoor Roth, after-tax 401(k), and aggressive early-retirement Roth conversions while you still have no state tax to pay on the rollover.
Cash flow & dual-income coordination
Two high earners means two paychecks, two benefits packages, and two sets of decisions. We map them into one plan that respects both partners' goals.
Tax planning for partners & spouses
Filing-status modeling, RSU and equity-comp coordination, and proactive moves around the marriage penalty — not a return drop-off in April.
Investing aligned with your values
Low-cost, evidence-based portfolios that can also screen for LGBTQ-friendly employers, ESG, or whatever 'aligned' means for you.
Estate & beneficiary protections
Wills, trusts, healthcare directives, and beneficiary audits so the people you actually chose are protected — not the people state default rules pick.
Related planning pages
- Equity compensation & comprehensive planning
RSU, ISO, ESPP, and pre-IPO planning coordinated with tax, cash flow, and everything else in your financial life.
- Financial planning for same-sex couples
Two paychecks, two benefits packages, the marriage penalty, and titling decisions — mapped into one plan that respects both partners.
- Surrogacy & family-building financial planning
IVF, surrogacy, and adoption costs modeled honestly into your cash flow — so growing your family isn't financed on hope.
- Gay financial advisor
Fee-only, fiduciary planning for gay professionals and same-sex households — dual incomes, equity comp, and the marriage penalty handled up front.
- See all services →
From the blog
- Why Gay Men in Tech Need a Gay Financial Planner
RSUs, equity comp, and the planning questions specialist advisors actually understand.
- Why LGBTQ+ HENRYs Need an LGBTQ+ Financial Advisor
Why high earners not rich yet in the LGBTQ+ community need specialist planning.
- The Marriage Penalty: What High-Earning Same-Sex Couples Need to Know
How the tax code punishes dual high-income couples — and what to do about it.
- Visit the blog →
Frequently asked questions — Seattle LGBTQ+ planning
Specialty planning for Seattle LGBTQ+ households
Dedicated planning pages for the topics Seattle clients ask about most — each one built around the local tax, legal, and cost picture, not a generic template.
Surrogacy Financial Planning in Seattle
Surrogacy planning for Seattle LGBTQ+ intended parents. Real cost modeling, financing, and tax planning from a fee-only fiduciary.
Read moreLGBTQ+ Estate Planning in Seattle
Estate planning for Seattle LGBTQ+ couples and families. Wills, trusts, directives, and beneficiary audits that protect chosen family.
Read moreSame-Sex Couples Financial Planning in Seattle
Fee-only planning for same-sex couples in Seattle. Marriage-penalty modeling, filing status, benefits, and equity comp for two careers.
Read moreLGBTQ+ tax & cost-of-living guide: Seattle
State income, property, and estate tax plus LGBTQ+ planning overlays for Seattle households — from a fee-only fiduciary.
Read the guideSeattle neighborhoods
Neighborhood-specific pages for Seattle — local housing, community, and planning notes for each area we work with clients in.
Life-event planning in Seattle
Situational planning pages for the industries and moments that shape Seattle LGBTQ+ households — each written around the local tax and comp picture.
Amazon & Microsoft Equity Planning for Seattle LGBTQ+ households
Amazon & Microsoft Equity Planning for LGBTQ+ households in Seattle. Fee-only fiduciary planning, virtual-first, no minimums.
Read moreWashington Estate Tax Planning for Seattle LGBTQ+ households
Washington Estate Tax Planning for LGBTQ+ households in Seattle. Fee-only fiduciary planning, virtual-first, no minimums.
Read moreAbout 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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