The tech industry has cut over 150,000 jobs in 2026. Whether it's your first week or you're deep in severance, the decisions you make in the next 72 hours determine your financial runway for the next 6 months.
No credit card. No account. 48-hour money-back guarantee on the $99 full plan.
Every state is different, but every state has a waiting week that starts from your filing date — not your last day. File today, not next week.
Use your state's DOL portal directly: the federal 50-state finder is at careeronestop.org.
Most tech companies give you 21+ days to review. Do not sign on day one. Before you sign:
— Check your RSU vesting acceleration clause
— Understand the non-disparagement scope
— Know what the release actually covers
— The 21-day window is yours — use it
Your COBRA election window opened the day you received notification. You have 60 days to decide — but coverage is retroactive to your last day if you enroll in time.
Healthcare.gov (ACA marketplace) opens a simultaneous 60-day special enrollment. Compare both before either deadline — not after.
Housing first. Utilities second. Credit cards third. Do not pay credit card minimums before rent — mortgage/eviction has a 30–90 day lag; credit cards don't knock on your door that fast.
Mortgage servicers, auto lenders, and credit card issuers all have documented hardship programs. They are not advertised. You have to call and use specific language. Forbearance, deferral, and reduced-rate programs are available — they don't get offered, they get requested.
Unemployment income + severance payout + mandatory expenses = actual runway. This is the number that drives every subsequent decision: when to accept an offer, when to negotiate, when to cut. Most people skip this and operate on anxiety instead of data.
Your equity, your vesting schedule, your severance terms, and your state of residence all change the playbook.
If you have unvested equity, check your grant agreement for acceleration provisions. Many tech companies include acceleration clauses triggered by layoffs — it's not automatic, and you may need to ask before you sign. The difference between checking before vs. after signing can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
You have 60 days from the date your coverage ended — not your notification date, not your last day. File immediately to backdate coverage if needed. Not sure of your timeline? Call your former HR — they are required to send a COBRA election notice within 45 days.
Most tech companies offer 4–16 weeks base pay as severance, with variations based on tenure. You almost always have 21+ days to review before signing. Don't sign day one — especially if you have an employment lawyer or legal aid access through a former employer's bar association.
Tech workers are concentrated in CA, WA, NY, TX, and CO — each with different rules, benefit amounts, and waiting periods. California's weekly benefit max is over $1,100; Washington's is around $900. File in the state where you worked, not where you live, unless you telecommuted.
The free triage gives you the framework. The $99 plan is built around your exact bills, your severance date, your state, and generates the action calendar for your situation.
Hour-by-hour timeline built around your actual deadlines — not a generic checklist.
Exact language for mortgage servicers, auto lenders, credit cards, utilities, student loans. What to say, what to ask for.
Direct links and documents to gather before you file. Common mistakes that reset your waiting period.
The actual cost comparison for your situation — not a generic breakdown. Deadlines you cannot miss.
Housing first. Then utilities. Then everything else. Grace periods, negotiability, and when each escalates.
What to read before you sign. Clauses that give up more than you realize. Questions to ask HR before the window closes.
No credit card to start. 48-hour money-back guarantee on the paid plan.
The answers matter more when the stakes are this high.
Most tech companies give you at least 21 days. If you're 40 or older, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act guarantees at least 45 days for age-related waivers. Do not sign on your last day. If you have access to an employment attorney — through a bar association referral program, your company's legal aid benefit, or a legal startup like Upsolve — use it before you sign.
Unvested RSUs are forfeited upon termination unless your agreement specifies otherwise. Some tech companies include acceleration clauses triggered by layoffs — check your specific grant agreement. Review before you sign any release. If your company is in financial distress or has had prior layoffs, the equity picture may be more complex. The difference between checking your vest schedule before vs. after signing can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
One missed unemployment filing week: $400–$800. One missed COBRA window: thousands in uncovered medical costs. One severance clause you didn't read: potentially tens of thousands. The $99 isn't a purchase you make out of abundance — it's the cheapest line item in a week where every wrong move compounds. If it doesn't pay for itself in the first 48 hours, email us. Full refund.
No. Runway72 is a playbook and a set of scripts — you execute. We tell you what order to call creditors, what to say when you get them on the phone, and what deadlines you cannot miss. We don't give personalized investment advice, legal counsel, or tax guidance. We tell you when you need someone who does. We're faster than a financial advisor, available now, and you don't need an appointment.
48 hours, no questions. Email us at support@runway72.polsia.app within 48 hours of purchase and we'll refund you in full. We'd rather refund someone who didn't find it useful than keep $99 from a person already under financial stress.
Every day you delay costs real money. Unemployment, COBRA, severance — these windows don't wait. Start now.
Free to start. $99 for the full personalized plan.