Skip to main content

Free Download

The W-2 Escape Plan

Know Your Number Before You Give Notice

You've run the mental math a hundred times. You know you want out. But “I think I have enough saved” isn't a plan — it's a hope. This checklist turns the leap into a calculated decision: your real runway, your real burn rate, and the exact financial architecture you need before you give notice.

For W-2 professionals earning $150K+ who are 6-18 months from going independent.

What's inside

The Runway

  • Do you know your actual monthly burn rate — not your guess, your real number?
  • Do you have 12-18 months of living expenses in liquid savings (not retirement accounts)?
  • Have you stress-tested your runway against a 6-month delayed revenue scenario?

Health Insurance

  • Do you have a specific post-employment health insurance plan — COBRA, marketplace, or spouse's plan?
  • Have you factored the full annual cost ($12K-$30K+ for a family) into your runway math?

Entity Setup & Tax Architecture

  • Have you decided on your business entity — and do you know why LLC vs. S-Corp matters?
  • Do you understand how self-employment tax changes your effective rate by 7-15%?
  • Have you set up quarterly estimated tax payments before your first invoice?

Retirement Accounts

  • Do you have a plan for your employer 401(k) — rollover, leave, or Roth convert?
  • Have you evaluated a Solo 401(k) to shelter up to $72K per year from day one?

Income Replacement

  • Do you have your first client or revenue source identified — not hypothetical, signed?
  • Have you calculated your personal break-even number (not your business break-even)?
  • Have you reviewed your non-compete or non-solicitation agreement with an attorney?

...plus personal financial architecture review, emergency fund separation strategy, partner alignment framework, and a milestone-based departure timeline.

Get the full escape plan — free.

13 questions that separate a calculated leap from an expensive mistake.

Enter your name and email. You'll get the complete W-2 Escape Plan in your inbox within 60 seconds.

We don't share your email. Unsubscribe anytime. This is not financial advice.

Ready to stop overpaying and start designing your life?

Book a 15-minute intro call. No pitch. No pressure. Just a conversation about what matters to you.

Book Your Intro Call