For product managers
Your total comp is a portfolio. Your prenup should address every layer.
Product managers at major tech companies earn $200,000 to $500,000 or more in total compensation, but that number is split across base salary, annual bonuses, and RSU grants that vest over multiple years. Each component has different prenup considerations.
Flat fee of $5,000 per couple. No payment to get started.
Your compensation is a portfolio
Five layers, each with its own timing and prenup considerations
Understanding how each piece of your compensation is timed relative to your wedding date is the foundation for a prenup that accurately reflects your financial picture.
Base salary
$140,000 to $220,000
Base salary earned during the marriage is typically the most straightforward component. It is ongoing income and may be characterized accordingly under your state's rules.
Annual bonus
15% to 30% of base
Performance bonuses are earned over a fiscal year. If a bonus is earned partially before and partially during the marriage, your attorney can help address how the split is characterized.
RSU grants (initial)
$200,000 to $600,000+ over 4 years
Initial grants received when you join a company vest over time. Shares that vest before marriage may be treated differently than shares that vest during marriage. Timing relative to the wedding date is the key question.
RSU refresher grants
Varies annually
Refresher grants are awarded each year you stay at a company. Unlike initial grants, these are ongoing compensation earned during employment. If you receive refreshers during the marriage, your attorney can review how they are characterized.
Sign-on bonus
$30,000 to $150,000+
Sign-on bonuses often come with repayment clauses if you leave within 1 to 2 years. A prenup can address both the bonus and the potential liability if you leave early.
The career change factor
PMs change companies frequently. Each move resets equity.
The average product manager stays at a company for 2 to 3 years before moving on. Each job change triggers a new initial RSU grant, while refresher grants from the previous role may still be vesting. Over a 5-year marriage, a PM might accumulate overlapping equity from two or three different employers.
Company A: joined 2 years before wedding
Initial 4-year RSU grant is 50% vested at marriage. Remaining 50% vests during marriage. Refresher grants from years 1 and 2 are partially vested.
Company B: joined 1 year after wedding
Entire initial grant and all refreshers are received and vest during the marriage. Sign-on bonus was paid out during the marriage.
Company C: joined 3 years after wedding
Another full initial grant, this time at a higher valuation. Overlapping vesting schedules from Company B refreshers are still active.
These scenarios are illustrative. The specific characterization of each grant depends on your state's rules and the terms of your prenup. Your attorney can review what applies.
Vesting during vs. before the marriage
The timing of your RSU vesting relative to your wedding date matters
If you received a 4-year RSU grant two years before your wedding, roughly half of those shares may vest before the marriage and the other half during it. Rules differ by state on how shares that were granted before marriage but vest during it are characterized.
A prenup can clarify the framework: it might treat pre-marriage vested shares as separate property, or it might describe a formula for how the marriage-period vesting is handled. The key is that both partners understand and agree on the approach before the wedding.
Your attorney can review what your state's default rules would be without a prenup and help you decide whether you want to accept those defaults or establish a different framework.
How Neptune works
One flat fee, two independent attorneys, equity complexity addressed
Walk through your compensation
Neptune's guided intake captures RSU grants, vesting schedules, bonus structures, and prior employer equity in plain language.
Each partner gets their own attorney
Two separate, licensed attorneys who can explain how RSU vesting timelines and career transitions intersect with your state's rules.
Receive a tailored agreement
Your attorney drafts an agreement that addresses overlapping grants across multiple employers. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks.
Transparent pricing
One flat fee. Two independent attorneys.
$5,000
per couple, total
Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days. No payment required to get started.
Start your prenupQuestions from product managers
My RSUs from a previous company are fully vested. Are they still relevant?
Fully vested RSUs that you sold before marriage are typically already converted to cash or investments, which can be documented as pre-marriage assets. Fully vested but unsold shares present a different question: the shares exist but their value changes daily. Your attorney can help you address how pre-marriage vested equity is described in the agreement.
I change companies every 2 to 3 years. How does that affect my prenup?
Each job change creates a new initial grant with a new 4-year vesting schedule, often while refresher grants from your previous role are still vesting. This means you may have overlapping equity from 2 or 3 companies at any given time. A prenup can establish a framework for how grants are characterized based on when they were awarded and when they vest, regardless of which employer issued them.
What if I am between jobs when we get married?
Periods between roles are common for product managers. If you are not currently employed, your prenup can still address the equity you brought from previous roles (vested and unvested), severance from your last position, and anticipated compensation from your next role. The framework does not depend on being currently employed.
How do RSU refresher grants differ from the initial grant?
Initial grants are a one-time award when you join, typically vesting over 4 years. Refresher grants are awarded annually to retain employees and typically vest over 1 to 4 years. If you receive refresher grants during your marriage, they may be treated as compensation earned during the marriage. Your attorney can review how your state handles the distinction.
What does it cost and how long does it take?
Neptune charges a flat fee of $5,000 per couple, which covers two independent attorneys (one for each partner). No payment is required to get started. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks when both partners use Neptune attorneys. Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days.