"Tier 1 bonus bucket at a bulge bracket one year, Tier 2 the other year." He was at a bank, not at a startup. Since you are not familiar with bonus structures

"Tier 1 bonus bucket at a bulge bracket one year, Tier 2 the other year." He was at a bank, not at a startup. Since you are not familiar with bonus structures at banks, what he's talking about could roughly double a salary in a _cash_ bonus.