Cross-functional countdown checklist for any equity event.

# Event readiness plan — Acme IPO double-trigger vest

Educational coordination plan generated from typed inputs. Not legal, tax, or financial advice. The company plan document, the merger / tender / spin-off agreement (where applicable), and counsel control the actual workflow. Treat this as a starting checklist, not a substitute for the cross-functional kickoff.

## Event
- Type: Double-trigger RSU vest at IPO
- Date: 2026-09-15
- Company stage: Public
- Estimated affected employees: 850
- Estimated shares affected: 4,200,000
- Notes: First IPO for the company; many employees will see this kind of event for the first time.

## Countdown checklist

### T-90 to T-45
- **T-60 (2026-07-17)** [Investor Relations] Confirm IPO date / liquidity-trigger date with bankers and legal
  - Double-trigger RSU vesting hinges on the second trigger (liquidity event). Coordinate so the trigger date is locked before downstream prep starts.
- **T-45 (2026-08-01)** [Total Rewards] Pull RSU schedule of awards subject to double-trigger
  - Confirms the exact share count vesting at trigger. Distinguishes time-vested portions vs liquidity-conditioned portions.

### T-44 to T-21
- **T-30 (2026-08-16)** [Payroll] Choose withholding method (sell-to-cover, net-share, cash)
  - Pre-IPO companies default to net-share or cash withholding (no public market yet). Post-IPO same-day sell-to-cover is standard. The choice has cash-flow implications.
- **T-30 (2026-08-16)** [Total Rewards] Brief Comp Committee on vesting volume and dilution impact
  - Large RSU vests at IPO show up immediately in fully-diluted share counts. Comp committee should see the number before the press hears about it.
- **T-21 (2026-08-25)** [Payroll] Configure supplemental withholding rates in payroll system
  - RSU income is supplemental wages; the federal rate is 22% up to a threshold (37% above), plus state. Larger employees may exceed thresholds with a single vest.

### T-20 to T-7
- **T-14 (2026-09-01)** [Communications] Distribute employee FAQ on RSU vest at IPO
  - Most employees see double-trigger vesting once in their career. A clear FAQ reduces support tickets at the most stressful moment.
- **T-7 (2026-09-08)** [Equity Operations] Validate stock-admin platform for double-trigger event
  - Some platforms require manual configuration to recognize the liquidity trigger. A dry-run avoids day-of escalations.

### Event day
- **T-day (2026-09-15)** [Equity Operations] Trigger vest, withhold, settle shares
  - Live execution. Equity ops, payroll, and IR on a shared bridge.

### Post-event
- **T+1 (2026-09-16)** [Legal] File Form 4 for officers/directors who vested
  - Two business days from the trigger. Coordinate with the EDGAR filer and confirm 10b5-1 coverage if any sales follow.
- **T+7 (2026-09-22)** [Payroll] Reconcile shares delivered against withholding remitted
  - Same-day reconciliation against the broker. Catches any over- or under-withholding before tax forms generate.
- **T+30 (2026-10-15)** [Total Rewards] Send tax-treatment memo to affected employees
  - Post-event communication explaining what shows on the W-2, the difference between supplemental withholding and actual tax owed, and 10b5-1 / blackout reminders.

## Coordination emails
1. To: **Payroll** — Subject: RSU double-trigger vest at IPO — supplemental withholding plan
2. To: **Legal** — Subject: RSU vesting at IPO — Section 16 filing checklist
3. To: **Communications** — Subject: Employee FAQ for IPO RSU vest — needed by T-14

Open the Coordination emails section in the tool to copy each one individually.

## Recommended next steps
1. Schedule a cross-functional kickoff with TR, equity ops, payroll, legal, accounting, IR, and comms. Walk the countdown checklist line by line and assign each owner.
2. Confirm the platform-of-record (Fidelity / Shareworks / Computershare / E*TRADE / Carta) is configured for the event mechanics; the workbench does not process the event.
3. Send the coordination emails on the cadence the checklist sets out; cc TR / legal so the audit trail lives in one thread.
4. Save the assumption sheet (event type, dates, scope) alongside the memo so the post-event review uses the same baseline.

## Disclaimer
Outputs reflect typed inputs and a deterministic checklist library. They do not replace your company's plan document, the relevant transaction agreements, or counsel. Bring this plan to the cross-functional kickoff and adjust to your specific circumstances before executing.