For software engineers with equity compensation
A prenup built around equity, not just salary
For software engineers, a large share of total compensation is equity that vests over time, sometimes across more than one employer. RSUs, options, and prior-employer grants raise questions standard prenup templates do not address. Neptune connects you with two independent attorneys and a guided process designed for complex equity.
Flat fee of $5,000 per couple. No payment to get started.
Why software engineers use prenups
Equity compensation makes prenups distinctly useful
At top tech companies, equity is often 30 to 60% of total compensation. That mix creates planning questions a purely salaried earner never faces.
- 1
The vesting-during-marriage problem
The common path: you take an offer with a four-year grant, get engaged in year 1 or 2, marry, and the bulk of the equity vests during the marriage. Without a prenup, in California the vested portion may default to community property.
- 2
Public-company RSUs
RSUs at public companies vest on a schedule, become liquid at vesting, and are taxed as ordinary income at vest. A prenup can help clarify how shares vesting during the marriage are characterized.
- 3
Private-company options and pre-IPO shares
ISOs, NSOs, and pre-IPO RSUs carry illiquidity risk and the potential for outsized future value. A prenup can address how illiquid equity and any future liquidity event are treated.
- 4
Overlapping annual refreshes
Most major tech companies issue refresh grants at performance reviews. After several years you may have four or five overlapping four-year schedules running at once, each a potentially distinct asset.
- 5
Prior-employer grants and ESPP
Many engineers carry unvested options or unexercised grants from a previous employer, plus discounted ESPP shares that are easy to overlook. A prenup can catalogue these pre-marital assets so their separate character is documented.
- 6
Side projects and future companies
If you start a side project or company while married, the question of how that interest is treated comes up quickly. A prenup can help address future business interests before they exist.
How Neptune works
From first question to signed agreement
Step 1
Get aligned with guided intake
Answer questions about your finances, equity, and goals as a couple. Neptune’s guided intake helps both partners get clear on what matters before any legal work begins.
- Talk through equity, debt, and priorities
- Surface the conversations that matter early
- Walk in prepared, not starting from a blank page
Step 2
Work with two independent attorneys
Neptune connects each partner with a separate, licensed attorney for a free consultation. One attorney represents you; a different attorney represents your partner. No payment is required until you decide to move forward.
- A separate attorney for each partner
- Free consultations before you commit
- Independent counsel supports a fair agreement
Step 3
Review, finalize, and sign
Your drafting attorney prepares an agreement based on your situation, and your partner’s reviewing attorney reviews it with them independently. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks when both partners use Neptune attorneys, though this can vary.
- A tailored agreement, not a template
- Independent review for your partner
- Concierge support through signing
Transparent pricing
One flat fee. Two independent attorneys.
$5,000
per couple, total
Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days. Complexity factors may affect the final fee.
Start your prenupGuides and resources
Read more before you begin
How to handle RSUs and options in a prenup
A practical breakdown of how RSUs, stock options, and vesting schedules are treated in prenup agreements and what to address before drafting begins.
Read the guideThe definitive guide to option vesting in prenups
A deeper look at how option vesting is handled in prenuptial agreements, including timing, characterization, and what to discuss with your attorney.
Read the guideCommon questions from software engineers
Do equity refreshes count as separate property?
New grants issued after the marriage are generally treated as separate property only if your prenup addresses future equity grants clearly. Without that language, state-law defaults apply, and in community property states grants earned during the marriage may be treated as community property. Neptune’s guided intake surfaces your refresh history so your attorney can draft language that reflects your intentions.
What about options I never exercised from a prior employer?
Unvested or unexercised options from a prior employer can still pay out someday. A prenup can document these as pre-marital assets and address how any future value is characterized. Your attorney can review your grant agreements and what documentation is appropriate.
What if my company IPOs during the marriage?
If a liquidity event happens while you are married, shares you held before marriage may be treated differently from shares granted during the marriage, and appreciation during the marriage is an active question under state law. A prenup can help clarify which portion of any proceeds is treated as separate versus marital.
My partner does not have equity comp. Does that change things?
It is common for one partner to hold most of the equity. A prenup lets both partners decide together how that equity, and any future growth, is treated, rather than leaving it to state-law defaults. Each partner works with their own independent attorney, which supports a fair, well-structured agreement.
What does Neptune cost and how long does it take?
Neptune’s prenup is a flat fee of $5,000 per couple, covering two independent attorneys: $3,000 for the drafting attorney and $2,000 for the reviewing attorney. Rush pricing applies when the wedding is within 45 days, and complexity factors may affect the final fee. Turnaround is typically around 3 to 4 weeks when both partners use Neptune attorneys.