Equity vesting calculation.

Standard equity vesting: 4-year schedule with 1-year cliff. 0% vested before 12 months, then linear monthly vest after cliff. Most companies use this structure for RSUs and options. Calculator shows vested portion at any month + remaining time to full vest.

10,000 units, 4-year schedule, 12-month cliff, 24 months employed. Past cliff: yes. Vested: 24/48 × 10,000 = 5,000 units. 50% vested. Remaining 5,000 units. 24 months until full vest. Critical for: planning departure timing (vest before leaving), negotiating accelerated vesting on M&A, understanding equity value.

Vesting variations: 3-year vest with 6-month cliff (faster). 5-year vest with 12-month cliff (slower). 'Back-loaded' vest (10/20/30/40% per year - common at FAANG). Cliff-only vest (100% at month 12, then 100% at month 24, etc - rare). Standard 4-year/1-year is overwhelming default - any deviation worth understanding before accepting offer.

Quick example

With total units of 10,000 and vest period of 4 years (plus cliff of 12 months and months employed of 24 months), the result is 5000 / 10000. Change any figure and watch the output shift — it's often more useful to see the pattern than to memorise the formula.

Which inputs matter most

You enter Total Units, Vest Period (years), Cliff (months), and Months Employed. Not every input has equal weight. Flip one at a time toward extreme values to feel which ones move the needle most for your situation.

What's happening under the hood

If past cliff: vested = (employed months / total months) × total units. Else: 0. The formula is listed in full below. If the number looks off, you can retrace the calculation by hand — that's the point of showing the working.

Where this fits in planning

This is a "what-if" tool, not a forecast. Use it to test ideas before committing: what happens if the rate is 2% lower than hoped, what happens if you add five more years. The value is in the scenarios you run, not the single answer you get from the defaults.

What this doesn't capture

Steady-rate math ignores real-world volatility. Actual returns are lumpy; sequence-of-returns risk matters most in drawdown; fees and taxes drag on compound growth; and behaviour changes in drawdowns can reduce outcomes below the projection. Treat the number as one scenario, not a forecast.