If you've spent the better part of your career at Google, there's a good chance your biggest financial challenge isn't building wealth anymore.

It's deciding what your wealth is actually for.

Earlier this year, a client asked me a question I've heard many times over the years:

"How is the market doing this well with everything going on?"

It was a fair question.

Inflation. Interest rates. Artificial intelligence. Geopolitical conflict. Every week seemed to bring another headline suggesting the market should be struggling.

Instead, it continued reaching new highs.

My answer was simple.

Eventually, markets care about earnings.

Headlines can move markets in the short run. Businesses that consistently create value tend to drive long-term returns.

Google is no exception.

If Google continues building products people use, attracting exceptional talent, generating cash flow, and adapting to change, the market will eventually recognize that. Over long periods of time, earnings matter more than headlines.

But our conversation quickly moved away from the market.

Because that's rarely the real question.

Google Employees Experience the Market Differently

After working with Google employees since 2008, I've learned that Googlers experience the market differently than most investors.

Most investors own the market.

Googlers often own the market and one extraordinary company.

That usually wasn't the result of making one big investment decision.

It happened gradually.

RSU grants vested.

Promotions came along.

The stock appreciated.

Years passed.

Before long, what began as employee compensation became one of the largest assets on the family's balance sheet.

Their concentrated position wasn't built through speculation.

It was built through years of work.

That's why market conversations feel different.

When Google performs exceptionally well, your net worth can grow much faster than the broader market.

And that's where one of the biggest planning challenges begins.

Success Has a Way of Resetting Expectations

One thing I've noticed over the years is how easy it becomes to mistake what's familiar for what's normal.

Imagine spending fifteen years working at one of the most successful companies in history.

Imagine watching your equity compound year after year.

Imagine opening your account and seeing years where your Google equity appreciated far more than a broadly diversified portfolio.

Eventually, Google stops feeling like a concentrated position.

It simply feels normal.

That's when diversification can seem underwhelming.

But diversification was never meant to outperform your best investment.

Its purpose is different.

It's there so your future doesn't depend on a single company, even one as remarkable as Google.

Diversification Should Serve a Purpose

We don't believe in selling Google simply because a textbook says concentrated positions carry more risk.

We also don't diversify for diversification's sake.

We diversify in service of something.

In service of what?

If selling a portion of your Google position allows you to complete Roth conversions while you're in a favorable tax bracket, that's meaningful.

If it helps build retirement income before Social Security begins, that's meaningful.

If it allows you to build a ladder of high-quality individual bonds, pre-fund a 529 plan, support charitable causes, gift appreciated shares, or simplify your estate plan, those decisions have purpose.

Now we're no longer selling because of fear.

We're intentionally assigning those dollars a new job.

Google Stock Touches Almost Every Financial Decision

One of the reasons I enjoy working with Googlers is that these conversations rarely stay confined to investments.

A concentrated position affects almost every part of your financial life:

• Taxes
• Retirement
• Estate planning
• Healthcare
• Cash flow
• Charitable giving
• Coordination with your CPA
• Coordination with your attorney
• Your family

Let's say you're considering retiring in your early fifties.

One of my first questions isn't,

"Should we sell Google?"

It's much more practical.

How will we bridge the gap until Medicare?

How should we recognize income during those years?

Should we use that window for Roth conversions?

Can we reduce future required minimum distributions?

Can we create dependable retirement income without relying on what Google stock does next quarter?

Those questions usually have a much greater impact on your future than trying to predict the next earnings report.

Every Dollar Has a Job

One principle you'll hear me repeat often is that every dollar should have a purpose.

Growth has a job.

Stability has a job.

Liquidity has a job.

Income has a job.

For many long-tenured Google employees, company equity has become one of the primary drivers of household wealth.

The next question is just as important.

What job should that wealth perform next?

Maybe it's buying back your time.

Maybe it's helping your children graduate without debt.

Maybe it's caring for aging parents.

Maybe it's reaching the point where work becomes a choice instead of a necessity.

Those decisions matter far more than whether Google outperforms the S&P 500 next year.

The Question Beneath the Question

When someone asks me,

"Should I sell my Google stock?"

I usually hear a different question.

"What should this wealth do for my family?"

There isn't one right answer.

Every family has different goals.

Every tax situation is different.

Every balance sheet is different.

But after nearly two decades of working with Googlers, I've found that the answer is rarely discovered by studying a stock chart.

It's found by understanding the life you're trying to build.

Google Created the Opportunity. Planning Gives It Purpose.

Working at Google has created extraordinary opportunities for many families.

That's something worth celebrating.

But wealth isn't the destination.

It's a tool.

The question isn't simply whether you should sell Google stock.

It's what role that stock should play in the next chapter of your life.

Sometimes the right answer is continuing to hold it.

Sometimes it's using part of it to reduce future taxes, build retirement income, educate your children, support causes you care about, or simplify your estate plan.

Ironically, that's where the conversation with my client ended up.

What began as a question about the market turned into a conversation about purpose.

Because once you've built meaningful wealth, the most important question usually isn't how much more you can accumulate.

It's what you want that wealth to accomplish.

Continue Learning

If you'd like to learn more about financial planning considerations for technology professionals with equity compensation, you may find these resources helpful:

• Financial Planning for Technology Employees with RSU Compensation
• Understanding RSU Compensation at Technology Companies
• How Are RSUs Taxed? A Guide for Technology Employees
• Managing Concentrated Stock Positions 

Schedule an Introductory Conversation

If you're navigating RSU compensation or managing a concentrated stock position and would like to discuss how those decisions fit into your broader financial plan, you may consider scheduling an introductory conversation.

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Disclosure: This article is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice, or as a recommendation to buy or sell any security. The planning concepts discussed may not be appropriate for every investor and involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Any client scenarios referenced are hypothetical illustrations based on common planning situations and are not intended to represent any specific client experience. Investment decisions should be made based on your own objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance in consultation with your financial advisor, CPA, and attorney.

Hilpan Moxie Wealth Management, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the State of California. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This communication does not constitute an offer to provide advisory services in any jurisdiction where the firm is not registered or exempt from registration.