Checklist
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” is a hope, not a plan. This checklist turns the leap into a calculated decision: your real runway, your real burn rate, and the financial pieces you need in place 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 but your real number?
- Have you decided how many months of living expenses you need in liquid savings (not retirement accounts)?
- Have you stress-tested your runway against a slow start to revenue?
Health Insurance
- Do you have a specific post-employment health insurance plan: COBRA, marketplace, or a spouse's plan?
- Have you priced the full annual cost of coverage 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 what you keep?
- Have you set up quarterly estimated tax payments before your first invoice?
Retirement Accounts
- Do you have a plan for your employer 401(k): leave it, roll it to an IRA, or roll it to a new plan?
- Have you compared a Solo 401(k) and a SEP-IRA for your self-employment income?
Income Replacement
- Do you have your first client or revenue source identified, not hypothetical but 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.
17 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.
Ready to design the life this money is supposed to fund?
Book a 15-minute intro call. We'll start with what matters to you.
Book Your Intro Call