For investment bankers
Your bonus cycle creates a timing problem. A prenup can solve it.
Investment banking compensation is earned over a year, communicated in January, paid in February, and deferred over 3 more years. If you marry anywhere in that cycle, some of your comp reflects pre-marriage work and some reflects the marriage. A prenup gives you and your partner a shared framework for how the timing is handled.
$5,000 flat fee per couple. No payment to start.
The annual bonus cycle
When compensation earned in one year arrives over the next three
In most professions, compensation arrives when the work is done. In investment banking, there is a multi-year gap between performance and payment. Here is how a single bonus cycle plays out:
Numbers communicated
Your firm communicates your total year-end compensation for the prior year. The total includes cash and deferred components.
Cash portion paid
The cash portion of your bonus hits your account. This reflects work performed over the prior 12 months.
Deferred awards granted
The deferred portion (typically restricted stock or cash units) is formally granted. Vesting begins, usually over 3 to 4 years.
Prior deferrals vest
Throughout the year, deferred awards from prior bonus cycles vest on their own schedules. You may have 3 to 4 overlapping vintages vesting simultaneously.
Why this matters for a prenup: If you marry in any given month, you likely have compensation at every stage of this cycle simultaneously. You may have a cash bonus just received (for last year), RSUs vesting (from 2 to 3 years ago), and new deferred awards being granted (for this year). A prenup can describe how each vintage is characterized based on when the underlying work was performed.
Comp grows fast
What a prenup needs to accommodate at each career stage
Investment banking compensation can grow 3 to 5 times over a decade. A prenup should work at every point on that curve.
Analyst (years 1 to 3)
$150K to $250KDeferred: Minimal or none
Total compensation is relatively modest, but the growth trajectory ahead is steep. A prenup established now can address how future compensation is treated as your career progresses without needing to be renegotiated.
Associate (years 3 to 6)
$300K to $500KDeferred: 10% to 30%
You are accumulating your first meaningful deferred awards. RSUs from prior year-end bonuses may still be vesting. If you marry at this stage, there is a clear distinction between pre-marital unvested awards and awards granted during the marriage.
Vice president (years 6 to 10)
$500K to $1M+Deferred: 25% to 50%
Deferred compensation becomes a significant portion of total comp. At any given time, you may hold several hundred thousand dollars in unvested stock from multiple bonus years. The timing question intensifies.
Director / managing director
$1M to $5M+Deferred: 40% to 60%
The majority of your compensation is now deferred. You may also hold interests in firm co-investment vehicles or fund structures with multi-year lockups. These instruments require their own characterization in a prenup.
How it works
Three steps, two attorneys, one flat fee
Walk through your finances
Neptune's guided intake covers your bonus structure, deferred comp, unvested awards, and any other assets in plain language. Both partners complete the process.
Each partner gets their own attorney
Two separate, independent attorneys who understand deferred compensation structures and can explain how the timing of your specific awards intersects with your state's rules.
Receive a tailored prenuptial agreement
Your drafting attorney creates an agreement that addresses the bonus cycle timing, deferred comp vintages, and career-stage growth. 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.
Timing questions from investment bankers
We are getting married in March. My bonus was just paid in February.
The cash bonus you received in February reflects work performed throughout the prior calendar year, while you were unmarried. The deferred portion granted at the same time will vest over future years, some during the marriage. A prenup can address this split: cash arrived pre-marriage, but the deferred portion vests during it. Your attorney can help you think through how the timing of the grant versus the vesting period affects characterization.
I have 3 years of unvested RSUs. Does that matter for a prenup?
Yes. Unvested RSUs granted before the marriage reflect compensation earned pre-marriage, even though they convert to shares during it. A prenup can describe how pre-marital grants are treated differently from grants awarded after the wedding. The key distinction is when the underlying work was performed, not when the shares arrive.
My comp is going to grow significantly. Should I wait to get a prenup?
There is no reason to wait. A well-structured prenup describes a framework for how compensation is treated, not a fixed dollar amount. Whether you earn $300K or $3M, the same principles can apply. In fact, establishing the framework early (when the growth is ahead of you) can be simpler than trying to address years of accumulated deferred comp later.
What if I switch firms and get a sign-on guarantee?
Sign-on guarantees (multi-year guaranteed minimums when joining a new firm) are common in investment banking. These are straightforward when received before the marriage. If you switch during the marriage, the guarantee reflects work to be performed going forward. A prenup can address both scenarios.
What does it cost?
Neptune charges a flat fee of $5,000 per couple, which covers two independent attorneys (one for each partner). No payment is required to start. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks when both partners use Neptune attorneys. Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days.