We make you smarter about stock options, ESPPs, and restricted stock

Become smarter about stock options, ESPPs, restricted stock, and stock appreciation rights

Individuals

Whether you're a stock plan participant or a professional, we offer you content and tools to fit your needs.
Corporate

Help your employees understand and appreciate their stock grants and prevent tax mistakes.
Financial and Wealth Advisors

Track your clients' grants and give them the expert advice they demand.

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YEAR-END PLANNING

Stockbrokers' Secrets (Part 3): Year-End Planning For NQSOs, Restricted Stock, And RSUs

By W.E.B. Bantling and Michael Beriss

Year-End Strategies For Restricted Stock: Ideas To Consider In 2009

By Bruce Brumberg

Ten Ideas For Year-End Tax Planning With Stock Options And Company Stock

FINANCIAL PLANNING

How To Avoid The Most Common Stock Option Mistakes (Part 1)

By Beth Walker

Psychological Factors Affect Your Stock Option Exercise Decisions

By Professor Steven Huddart

Better Late Than Never: Stock Option Strategy For The Market Upturn

By Michael Beriss

Advisors, Have You Heard About MSO Pro?
Made just for you, with tools to track and model grants for multiple clients, and proactive communications to build relationships. Click here for more information.

RESTRICTED STOCK & RSUs

Why You'll Learn To Like Restricted Stock Grants

By Richard Friedman

Decisions At Vesting With Restricted Stock (Part 2): Hold Or Fold?

By Tom Davison


	"You folks have built an extraordinary site of which you should be proud. Where have you been all of my golden-handcuffed life?" Microsoft employee

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLANS

Fundamentals Of Employee Stock Purchase Plans (Part 1): Basic Structure And Terms

By Alisa Baker

Employee Stock Purchase Plans & Your Financial Planning (Part 1)

By Bruce Brumberg

ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX

Stock Option Fundamentals (Part 5): Incentive Stock Option Taxation & Alternative Minimum Tax

By Marilyn Renninger

The ISO Tax Trap And The AMT Credit Myth: What To Do Before Exercise And At Year-End

By Alan Ungar

LIFE EVENTS

Retirement Planning With Your Stock Options And Other Stock Compensation (Part 1: Pre-Retirement Planning)

By Carol Cantrell

I'm Getting Divorced: What Happens To My Stock Options? (Part 1)

By Linda Olup


	"I am always able to find the answers I am looking for. Huge tool for my financial planning practice." Darren Gaspary, CFP®, ChFC, COA Wealth Management Financial Planner

HIGH NET WORTH/
EXECUTIVES & DIRECTORS

How To Use Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans To Sell Company Stock (Part 1)

By Darryl Rains and Sunil Kulkarni

Hedging Your Employee Stock Options (Part 1)

By Robert Gordon

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

My Company's Being Acquired: What Happens To My Stock Options? (Part 2)

By Richard Lintermans

What we offer on stock options, ESPPs, restricted stock, SARs, and performance shares:

Take the Tour!

Podcasts NEW!

Listen to our podcasts on the basics of stock options, restricted stock, ESPPs, and tax returns and reporting!

Quizzes:
Test your smarts!

Quizzes for your company!

Q: The value of my restricted stock has fallen since vesting. If I sell my shares at year-end, do I get a credit for the income tax I paid at vesting, or do I net the loss against capital gains?
A: The vesting and the sale are separate transactions and generate different types of income. Unless you made an 83(b) election to be taxed at grant, you were first taxed on the stock's value at vesting, which created ordinary income to you. With restricted stock units (RSUs), taxation occurs...

Q: At year-end, is there any general way to determine how many ISOs I can exercise and hold before triggering AMT?
A: One strategy for minimizing AMT is to spread out the exercise of ISOs over...

· Exercised ISOs, worried about AMT

· Help understanding 1099-B and W2 for options sold

· Use of AMT Credit

· Underwater Options-Worthless?

· Should Tax Savings Drive My Decisions

· NQSO tax losses

· W-2 Income for ESPP Disqualifying Disposition

· CHANCE TO AVOID NEW ISO WASH SALE RULE

· job search

NEW! Need a financial, tax, or legal advisor?
Search AdvisorFind from myStockOptions.com

Tax errors can be costly! Don't draw unwanted attention from the IRS. Our Tax Center explains and illustrates the tax rules for sales of company stock, W-2s, withholding, estimated taxes, AMT, and more.

myStockOptions.com is a 2007 CPA Wealth Provider award winner


	MyRecords FREE! Quick-Take Options Calculator FREE! Quick-Take Restricted Stock Calculator Quick-Take SARs Calculator I Need The Money Calculator Comparison Modeling Tool Scenarios myAlerts

Q: I have 12,000 stock options with an exercise price of $57. My company's stock price is $44 (it was as low as $32 a few months ago). The options will expire at the end of the year, so unless I exercise them before then, I will lose them. Is there anything you can do with stock options that have a price higher than the current stock price and are about to expire? Can I get a tax loss for the negative spread if I exercise them?

A: Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about this situation, unless your efforts and ideas alone can lift the stock price above $57 before the options expire! It is really up to your company. It can implement an option exchange for underwater stock options or modify your outstanding options to extend the expiration date into the future, giving the stock price more time to exceed your exercise price. Most companies...
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