H-1B Compass
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Free · 60 seconds · the highest-dollar mistake we see

What’s your severance package actually worth?

Three decisions in week 1 of your layoff move the dollar number by $20K-$200K combined: RSU acceleration (rarely included by default), 401(k) disposition (the non-resident-alien cash-out math is brutal), and severance pay vs unpaid leave (severance does NOT extend H-1B status — unpaid leave does). This calculator does the math.

Your numbers

All figures stay in your browser. We do not store anything until you ask us to email you a written negotiation script.

Severance offer
$
wk
Equity at termination

Estimate at current FMV. Grant × unvested-fraction.

$

Often 0%. The offer rarely says — read the term sheet.

%

(FMV − strike) × vested-shares for stock options.

$
401(k)
$
Tax treaty + timing

Affects the NRA distribution withholding rate.

Pull from the grace calculator if unsure.

days

Information only — not tax / legal / financial advice

Tax outcomes vary by state, treaty, filing status, and prior-year residency. Before signing severance, pair this output with a CPA familiar with non-resident-alien rules and an immigration attorney.

Total addressable value

$0

There is roughly $33,333 of addressable value across these decisions. The 401(k) and RSU items are largely a matter of math; the unpaid-leave swap depends on the employer.

Decisions, ranked by dollar impact

Tap any decision to see the math + the negotiation framing.

Convert severance to unpaid leaveHigh value

$33,333

Severance pay does not extend H-1B status, while an unpaid leave of absence with a continued employer relationship generally does. Some workers ask whether about 8 weeks could be structured as unpaid leave, which can keep employer health coverage and pause the visa clock.

  • ·Severance weekly value: $4,167/wk × 12 weeks
  • ·Convertible to leave: ~8 weeks
  • ·Unpaid leave preserves H-1B status. Severance pay does not.
  • ·Each week of leave is a week your 60-day clock isn't running.
  • ·Some employers refuse — but the ones with HR experience handling H-1B often agree because the cost to them is the same.

Roll 401(k) to IRA

On this balance, the cash-out-vs-rollover math is roughly neutral.

  • ·Current balance: $0
  • ·Cash-out as NRA → ~$0 after 30% FDAP + 10% early-withdrawal penalty (under 59½)
  • ·Rollover to IRA → $0 preserved, tax-deferred until distribution

Negotiate RSU acceleration

The offer already accelerates 100% of unvested RSUs, so there is nothing to recover here.

  • ·Unvested RSU value: $0
  • ·Offer accelerates: 0% → $0 recovered
  • ·Forfeited at signing: $0
  • ·RSU acceleration is frequently the most-negotiable line item in tech severance.

Topics many workers raise before signing

  • Whether the company will accelerate unvested RSUs (the offer currently accelerates 0%)
  • Whether any portion of severance can be structured as an unpaid leave of absence
  • Whether the ISO/NSO exercise window can be extended (for example, 12 months instead of 90 days)
  • Whether COBRA premiums can be reimbursed for the severance period
  • The official 'last day worked' — the date that starts the H-1B 60-day clock — confirmed in writing
  • The timing of the employer's H-1B petition withdrawal (a withdrawal is required, but its timing can matter)

Disclaimers

  • ·Information only — not tax, legal, or financial advice.
  • ·Tax rates assume non-resident-alien status at distribution. Resident-alien rules differ materially.
  • ·RSU acceleration depends on your specific equity plan and severance agreement language.
  • ·Verify with a CPA familiar with NRA rules + an immigration attorney before signing severance.

Get your Severance Decision Report — $29

You’re weighing about $33,333 in decisions. A severance attorney runs $3,000+ and a generic severance plan is $149 — and neither reconciles your visa clock against your tax clocks. This report does, for $29.

  • Your 60-day visa clock reconciled against the 90-day option window, residency cutoff, and COBRA/ACA windows — on one calendar
  • Your 401(k) rollover-vs-cash-out math with your FDAP + penalty figures
  • Send-ready HR language for each negotiation lever, keyed to your inputs
  • COBRA-vs-ACA-marketplace decision framework with your severance period
  • A one-page CPA discovery summary you can hand to a tax professional
Information only — not tax, legal, or financial advice. Not happy? Reply to your receipt within 7 days for a full refund.

Negotiating severance while on H-1B?

Severance terms (RSU acceleration, unpaid-leave conversion, ISO window, COBRA) interact with your 60-day clock and status timeline, so it’s worth running past an attorney before you sign. We ’ll introduce you to a vetted immigration attorney for free.

This is an information-only tool, not legal advice. You are responsible for your decisions. When in doubt, consult an immigration attorney.