For product and UX designers
Prenups for designers
Creative careers that start salary-forward can shift toward equity as you move into leadership. A prenup can address where you are today and where your compensation is heading.
Flat fee of $5,000 per couple. No payment to get started.
The creative career arc
Salary forward, equity later
Your prenup should account for where you are and where you are going. The compensation shift from early career to leadership is significant.
~13% equity
At this stage, the majority of your compensation is salary and cash bonus. Equity grants are a smaller piece, often in the range of $30K to $80K annually at major tech companies. Your financial picture is relatively straightforward.
~38%+ equity
At senior levels, equity becomes a much larger share of total compensation. Annual grants of $150K to $400K or more are common for design leadership at major companies. Your financial picture becomes more complex.
Career transitions
When the creative career grows
Your portfolio takes off
Promotions, raises, and company switches can increase your compensation substantially over a short period. A prenup can address both your current income and how future growth during the marriage is handled.
A startup wants you
Switching from a salary-heavy role at an established company to an equity-heavy position at a startup changes your financial picture. Your attorney can help you plan for flexibility around compensation transitions.
Leadership calls
Design Director and VP roles come with substantial equity packages that can make your compensation resemble that of an engineering leader. A prenup written today should anticipate where your career is heading.
A common pattern
What makes designers different
Designers often have one partner with significantly higher equity compensation. This income asymmetry is not unusual and is one of the most common reasons couples pursue a prenup: to address clearly how income earned during the marriage is shared, saved, and handled if the marriage ends. Your attorney can help you address this dynamic in a way that works for both partners.
The process
Three conversations, one agreement
Share your situation
Walk through your compensation, assets, and goals in a guided conversation. No legal jargon required.
Talk to your attorney
Each partner speaks with their own independent attorney who reviews the agreement on their behalf.
Sign and move forward
Once both partners and their attorneys are satisfied, you sign. Typically around 3 to 4 weeks when both partners use Neptune attorneys.
Transparent pricing
$5,000
per couple, flat fee
$3,000 drafting attorney + $2,000 reviewing attorney. No payment to get started. Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days.
Questions from designers
I earn mostly salary with small equity grants. Do I still need a prenup?
Salary-dominant compensation still creates questions about how income earned during marriage is handled. A prenup can address income treatment regardless of its form.
What if I leave a large company to join an early-stage startup?
Career transitions that shift your compensation from salary to equity can change your financial picture substantially. Your attorney can help you plan for flexibility.
My partner earns significantly more than me. How does that affect the prenup?
Income asymmetry is common and does not change the process. Each partner has their own attorney to review the agreement independently.
Can a prenup address my design portfolio or intellectual property?
Creative work and intellectual property created during marriage may raise questions about ownership. Your attorney can help you address how work product is characterized.