This Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors FAQ page answers ten questions from tech employees who hold RSUs, stock options and ESPP shares: who we serve, what the $400K minimum means, how fees are shown, and what a first meeting covers. Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors serves 2,600 clients and $910 million in client assets as of 10/5/2026, and every answer below stands on its own if you only read one.
Frequently asked questions
My RSUs vest every quarter and half my savings is in one stock. Can Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors help?
Yes, this is the situation we write for. Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors starts by pricing the tax cost of selling each lot, then decides how fast to reduce the position. Shares that vested recently usually carry little gain, so selling them often costs almost nothing in extra tax. Older lots need more thought.
Do I need $400K saved before I can hire you, and does my unvested stock count?
The firm's client minimum is $400K in investable assets. Vested shares you own, plus brokerage, IRA and 401(k) balances, are the kind of money that counts toward it. Unvested RSUs and unexercised options are not yet yours to invest, so we'd generally leave them out of that total and revisit once they vest.
How does Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors charge, and will I see the cost before agreeing to anything?
Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors explains its fees clearly before you become a client and puts them on paper, so there are no surprises later. We don't publish percentages on this site because the arrangement depends on what you hire us to do. Ask for the fee schedule at the first call, and compare it to what you pay now.
I filled out the request form after work on a Tuesday. What comes next?
Someone from our team reads your form and replies to schedule an introductory conversation, usually within a week or so. Expect to be asked what equity you hold, roughly what it's worth, and when the next vest or exercise date falls. Nothing is sold on that call. You decide afterward whether to continue.
Do I have to fly to Bellevue, or can we meet by video from my home office?
No travel is needed. Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors meets clients anywhere in the US by video or phone, and our office is at 97 112th Avenue Southeast, Bellevue, WA 98004. Hours are not published, so meetings are set by appointment. Send the request form and we'll find a time that works around your calendar.
What should I gather before a first meeting about my stock options and ESPP?
Bring a short pile of documents: your latest equity grant statements, the last two pay stubs showing ESPP withholding, last year's tax return, and recent 401(k) and brokerage statements. Also note any option expiration dates. With those on the table, we can estimate in one sitting what a sale or exercise would cost in tax this year.
How much tax could I owe if I sell company shares from an old grant?
It depends on your gain and your bracket, but a simple example shows the mechanics. Say a hypothetical engineer sells 1,000 shares at $150 that she received at $100 and held over a year. The gain is $50,000. At an assumed 15% long-term rate, federal tax is $7,500. Your rate and state may differ.
Why not just use a robo-advisor for my 401(k) and brokerage account?
A robo-advisor can handle low-cost diversification well, and for a simple portfolio that may be enough. It generally won't plan around vesting dates, option exercises, ESPP holding periods or the tax hit from unwinding a concentrated position. If your employer stock is a large share of your wealth, that gap is where an advisor earns the fee, or doesn't.
What happens to my investments if the market drops after I've diversified?
They'll fall too, since every portfolio with stocks does. Investing involves risk, including loss of principal. What diversifying changes is exposure: with one stock at 60% of your savings, a 40% drop in that company costs 24% of your wealth. Spread across many holdings, the same drop in one name costs far less.
If I leave my job or change advisors later, how do I end things with Kestrel Bay Retirement Advisors?
You can end the relationship whenever you choose by telling us, and we explain the termination terms before you sign. Your accounts are in your name, so they don't disappear when you leave. Assets are generally held at an independent custodian, a point we'd confirm for your own accounts at the first meeting. Leaving an employer doesn't change anything either, though old equity may expire within about 90 days.