Executive Severance Package 2027 Calculator — C-Suite & VP
Calculate your executive severance package for 2027 — base salary continuation, bonus, equity acceleration, benefits continuation, and Section 280G golden parachute excise tax check.
C-Suite vs VP vs Director
C-Suite: 12-24 months base + 1-2x target bonus + full equity acceleration. EVP/SVP: 9-18 months + 1x bonus + 50-100% acceleration. VP: 6-12 months + pro-rata bonus + 25-50% acceleration. Director: 3-9 months + pro-rata + 0-25%.
Equity Acceleration Modes
Single-trigger: vesting accelerates on termination without cause. Double-trigger: both termination AND change-of-control required (most common at public co). Full acceleration vs partial (e.g., 24 months extra vesting credit). Negotiated heavily; track in 'change of control + termination' clause.
Section 280G Golden Parachute
Total severance + acceleration exceeding 3× base amount (avg 5-yr W-2) triggers 20% excise tax + employer loses deduction. Mitigation: cut-back to 3× minus $1 to avoid, OR gross-up clause (employer covers tax). Run 280G test BEFORE accepting offer if total package > $1.5M.
Negotiation Levers
Base months: usually fixed by company policy. Equity acceleration: highest leverage to negotiate up. Healthcare COBRA continuation 12-24 months. Outplacement 6-12 months at premium firm ($25k-$50k value). Indemnification: keep D&O coverage 6+ years post-separation.
Source: Compensia.com executive severance survey 2026, IRS Section 280G. Last updated: May 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I accept first offer?
Almost never. C-Suite severance is highly negotiated. Counter on: equity acceleration % (highest leverage), COBRA length (12→24 months), outplacement firm (Lee Hecht Harrison vs cheaper), legal fees coverage, mutual non-disparagement.
When does 280G excise hit?
When total parachute payments > 3× your base amount (avg W-2 for last 5 years). Triggered tax: 20% excise on amount over 1× base amount, paid by YOU. Employer also loses deduction on excess amount.
Can I negotiate gross-up?
Rare today (post-Dodd-Frank). Old C-suite contracts had 280G gross-ups; new ones use cut-back (reduce to just below threshold). Public companies almost never gross up — bad optics for shareholders.
What about non-compete?
Increasingly unenforceable. CA, ND, OK ban most non-competes. FTC pushed national ban (status uncertain). Severance often conditioned on signing non-compete + non-solicit. Negotiate scope, geography, time, and consideration.
Is my data private?
Yes. All calculations run in your browser. Inputs are never sent, stored, or shared.