One Team to Manage It All
For 40 years, Mercer Advisors has been helping families amplify and simplify their financial lives. How? By integrating expertise in financial planning, investment management, tax, estate, insurance, and more, all managed by a single team. Because your finances work better when they work together.
How Mercer Advisors Helps
Microsoft Clients
- Personalized Equity Compensation Strategies: We guide Microsoft employees on timing RSU vesting, ESPP purchases, and tax implications to help ensure they maximize earnings without unnecessary liabilities.
- Portfolio Diversification & Risk Mitigation: We provide customized investment strategies tailored to employees with high concentrations of Microsoft stock, using balanced portfolios aligned with long-term financial goals.
- Guidance on Maximizing Your Microsoft Benefits: We leverage Microsoft’s generous benefits package to support their financial future, such as using their 55/15 retirement rule for those interested in early retirement.
Specialized services for Microsoft employees
- Microsoft ESPPs, and RSU vesting guidance
- Mega Backdoor Roth IRA and 401(k) optimization
- Portfolio diversification strategies for concentrated MSFT holdings
- Strategies to reduce the tax hit from selling MSFT stock
- Tax planning and charitable giving strategies*
- Financial planning for career transitions within and beyond Microsoft
- Retirement and estate planning for multigenerational wealth
*Tax preparation and tax filing are a separate fee from our investment management and planning services.
A Family Office for Your Family
We’ve adapted the sophisticated, time-tested strategies used by ultra-high-net-worth individuals to help more families take control of their financial future.
A unified in-house team
of planners, investors, accountants, and estate strategists that designs — and executes — your financial plan.
A hand-picked advisor
who is focused on serving you, not on finding new clients.
An institutional-grade portfolio
personalized to you and managed by a team of 100+ investment professionals, not just one advisor.
A boutique fiduciary with national strength
that combines intimate service and sophisticated capability, and only acts in your best interest.
Mercer Advisors offers the strength of a large national firm with the personal touch you expect from a local office.
TRUST WE HAVE EARNED
Read Reviews from our Clients
Helping families like yours for 40 years and counting.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It depends on how much you hold, how long you’ve held it, what your cash flow needs are, and what your goals are, among several other factors. Holding too much company stock increases risk. A structured diversification strategy helps ensure financial resilience regardless of market conditions.
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When RSUs vest, their market value is treated as ordinary income on your W-2, triggering income tax even if you don’t sell. Selling within a year incurs short-term capital gains tax (same as your income tax rate); holding for over a year qualifies for long-term capital gains tax (usually lower). A financial advisor can help reduce tax burdens.
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We believe in simple, transparent fees. As a fee-based fiduciary, we can remain focused on doing what’s best for you, not commissions.
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To minimize taxes, hold shares at least a year after purchase and two years from the grant date for long-term capital gains treatment. Diversifying your portfolio prevents overexposure to Microsoft stock. Consider contribution limits and cash flow needs to avoid financial strain, and review holdings regularly with an advisor.
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Microsoft’s 55/15 rule lets employees 55+ with 15+ years at the company retain unvested RSUs post-retirement. Key items to consider if pursuing early retirement:
- Track spending and forecast future expenses (housing, travel, healthcare) for financial stability.
- Ensure a cash flow plan to bridge the gap until Social Security and penalty-free retirement withdrawals.
- Secure healthcare coverage before Medicare eligibility (65) via COBRA, private insurance, or HSAs.
The achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, recognition by publications, media, or other organizations, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results or satisfaction if Mercer Global Advisors, Inc. is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services.
*Company statistics as of 5/31/25. Client assets refers to client assets under management (AUM) and client assets under advisement (AUA) as well as assets gained from recent acquisitions where the advisory agreements have been properly assigned to Mercer Global Advisors, but the custodial accounts have yet to be transferred and/or the accounts have yet to be migrated to Mercer Global Advisors’ portfolio management system.
Please Note: Limitations. Neither rankings and/or recognitions by unaffiliated rating services, publications, media, or other organizations, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Mercer Advisors or its investment professionals are engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A fee was not paid by either Mercer Advisors or its investment professionals to receive the award or ranking. The award or ranking is based upon specific criteria and methodology (see ranking criteria/methodology via the “Read More” links). No ranking or recognition should be construed as an endorsement by any past or current client of Mercer Advisors or its investment professionals.
