So you’re at a late-stage startup, your equity is starting to look real, and you’re thinking: “I should probably talk to someone about this.”
Good instinct. Because the months leading up to an IPO are when the smartest decisions get made, and when the most expensive mistakes happen.
You need more than someone who can build you a portfolio. You need an advisor who understands how stock options work, what AMT means for your tax bill, and how to think through scenarios when your IPO timeline keeps shifting.
Not every financial advisor does this work. In fact, most don’t. The ones who do tend to specialize deeply in equity compensation and work almost exclusively with tech professionals and founders.
Here are three pre-IPO financial advisors that stand out, and what makes each one worth considering.
What You Should Look for in a Pre-IPO Advisor
Before we get into specific firms, let’s talk about what actually matters when you’re choosing someone to guide you through this.
They Need to Speak Equity Fluently
ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, ESPPs, AMT: these aren’t just acronyms. They’re different structures with different tax treatments, different timing rules, and different risks.
If your advisor doesn’t understand the difference between exercising ISOs and NSOs, or can’t explain why early exercise might save you six figures in taxes, they’re not the right fit.
Tax Strategy Comes First, Investment Strategy Comes Second
Pre-IPO planning isn’t really about picking the right funds. It’s about making decisions that minimize your lifetime tax bill.
When should you exercise? How do you manage AMT exposure? Can you qualify for QSBS? Should you sell shares in a secondary offering?
These questions have real answers, and those answers can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in difference. Your advisor should be modeling this stuff proactively, not reactively.
They Should Help You Plan for Multiple Outcomes
Your company might IPO in six months. Or two years. Or it might get acquired. Or the market might close and you’ll stay private longer than expected.
A good advisor doesn’t just plan for the happy path. They build scenarios so you understand what happens in each case—and what moves to make now that work across all of them.
They’ve Actually Done This Before
There’s a difference between an advisor who reads about equity compensation in a textbook and one who’s walked dozens of clients through real IPOs.
You want someone who’s seen what happens when an IPO gets delayed. Who knows how lockup periods actually work? Who’s helped clients navigate sudden wealth without panicking or making rash decisions.
Experience matters here more than almost anywhere else in financial planning.
Communication Is Clear and Ongoing
Pre-IPO planning isn’t a one-time conversation. Your company’s valuation changes. Market conditions shift. Your personal financial situation evolves.
You need an advisor who stays in touch, explains things clearly, and helps you adjust your plan as things change.
3 Firms That Specialize in Pre-IPO Planning
1. KB Financial Advisors
Visit: kbfinancialadvisors.com
KB Financial Advisors works almost exclusively with tech professionals and founders navigating equity compensation. What makes them different is their fully integrated approach: equity strategy, tax planning, and investment management are bundled into one comprehensive plan, with one team handling everything.
Their entire practice is built around the most important pre-IPO questions: Should I exercise now or wait? What’s my AMT exposure? How do I maximize QSBS eligibility? What happens if the IPO gets delayed?
They focus heavily on modeling different scenarios so you can see the trade-offs before making decisions. This is especially valuable when you’re trying to decide whether to exercise options early or wait closer to an IPO.
The value of this integrated model is simple: nothing falls through the cracks. When they’re modeling exercise scenarios, they’re simultaneously projecting your taxes and adjusting your investment strategy. Every decision is made with your complete financial picture in view, not in isolation.
You’re not juggling multiple advisors or wondering if your tax preparer knows what your financial planner recommended. One team, one coordinated strategy, zero gaps in communication. For complex pre-IPO planning where timing and tax strategy are critical, that integration matters.
Best for: Tech professionals and founders who want an integrated, comprehensive approach where equity strategy, tax planning, and investment management work together seamlessly.
2. Brooklyn FI
Visit: brooklynfi.com
Brooklyn FI is a larger firm that works with tech professionals and creatives. They offer financial planning, investment management, and tax preparation, but they structure their services differently than a fully bundled approach.
What sets them apart is their team size. They have multiple CFPs, CPAs, and equity compensation specialists on staff, which means you get access to a broader roster of expertise. Depending on which service tier you choose, tax preparation is either included or available as an add-on.
Their approach is more modular. You can start with financial planning and add tax services later, or pick the pieces that make sense for your situation. If you like having options and want to work with a firm that has more resources and a bigger team, that flexibility can be appealing.
They’ve guided plenty of tech clients through IPOs and liquidity events, so they know the territory.
Best for: Tech professionals who prefer working with a larger firm that offers different service packages you can mix and match.
3. Flow Financial Planning
Visit: flowfp.com
Flow Financial Planning works exclusively with women in tech. If you’re navigating equity comp and preparing for an IPO or other liquidity event, they’ve built their entire practice around that.
Their whole philosophy is about keeping things simple. No complicated strategies, no chasing the latest investment trend. Just broadly diversified, low-cost portfolios that let you sleep at night.
When you’re approaching an IPO, that simplicity matters. You’ve got enough complexity to deal with. You don’t need an investment strategy that adds more stress on top of it.
They also take time up front to make sure you actually understand what’s happening with your money. If you’re new to managing equity or feeling overwhelmed by the whole process, that can be worth a lot.
Best for: Women in tech who want someone who gets their specific experience and prefers a no-nonsense, long-term approach over complicated tactics.
How to Choose the Right One
Pre-IPO planning is personal. The right advisor depends on your equity structure, your goals, and how hands-on you want your financial partner to be.
Honestly?
We’d recommend talking to each of these firms to see who feels like the right fit.
Here’s what makes each one different:
KB Financial Advisors bundles everything together in a comprehensive approach, ideal if you want all aspects of pre-IPO planning (equity strategy, tax projections, and investment management) coordinated under one roof.
Brooklyn FI offers a menu approach where you can select the specific services you need, whether that’s financial planning, tax preparation, investment management, or a combination. They’re a larger firm with experience in tech and equity compensation.
Flow Financial Planning focuses exclusively on women in tech and emphasizes a simple, long-term approach with clear guidance and a focus on reducing complexity.
Here’s the thing: this isn’t something you want to DIY. The tax implications alone are complex enough that one wrong move can cost you way more than an advisor’s fee.
Pick someone who actually specializes in this stuff. The decisions you make in the months before an IPO often matter more than anything you do after.
Get it right, and you’ll look back feeling pretty damn smart about it.
Have a question we didn’t answer?
Common Questions
What should you look for in a pre-IPO financial advisor?
Four things: fluency in equity compensation (ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, ESPPs, AMT, QSBS), tax strategy as the primary lens rather than investment selection, ability to plan for multiple outcomes including delayed IPOs or acquisitions, and prior experience walking other pre-IPO clients through the same decisions.
Why do you need a specialist financial advisor for pre-IPO planning?
Pre-IPO decisions involve AMT triggers on ISO exercises, QSBS qualification timelines, cash flow planning for exercise costs, concentration risk management, and lockup planning. Generalist advisors often misunderstand these mechanics. The wrong call on exercise timing or AMT can cost six figures.
Is tax strategy more important than investment strategy for pre-IPO employees?
Yes, in most cases. Pre-IPO planning is primarily about minimizing lifetime tax liability and managing concentration risk, not picking funds. Decisions like when to exercise ISOs, how to structure QSBS, and whether to participate in secondary offerings often matter more than portfolio allocation.
What’s the difference between a fee-only advisor and a commission-based advisor for pre-IPO planning?
A fee-only advisor charges directly for advice and has no incentive to sell financial products. A commission-based advisor earns from products they recommend, which can create conflicts of interest. For pre-IPO planning where most decisions are tax and structural, fee-only is typically preferred.
