W.E.B. Bantling
UPDATED FOR 2011! Market volatility and declines rattle even the most experienced holders of stock compensation (and their advisors). You may soon face decisions that affect your financial future and long-term wealth in the midst of this market turmoil. Here are 10 topics I find myself discussing over and over again with my best clients.
Stanley Trotta with Robert Gordon
With tax increases in mind, now may be a good time to re-evaluate your current financial-planning strategy. Should you take action with stock compensation now or wait until new rates apply? Part 2 looks at restricted stock and restricted stock units.
Sue Stevens
Weighing a Roth IRA conversion is complicated enough, but the complexity can explode when you add in stock option exercises or the vesting of restricted stock. Let's take a look at how this can work in real life through a case study.
Richard Friedman
Understand financial planning for restricted stock and RSUs. Part 1 discusses the growing popularity of these grants, their special features, and the related tax planning.
Chris Murphy
Markets may be down, but opportunities exist to benefit from the current financial environment. This article presents a range of ideas to consider: buying stock now to swap later, exercising and holding ISOs, or making a Section 83(b) election for restricted stock.
W.E.B. Bantling
Many companies have turned away from stock options and begun to make outright stock grants that must vest before the shares can be issued. For employees, these grants have added a new layer of complexity to their equity compensation. This article presents six questions I get all the time from clients who have received restricted stock, restricted stock units, or performance shares.
Sue Stevens
Could the Roth IRA be your greatest opportunity for accumulating tax-free growth? Well, as with most strategic-planning issues, it all depends. Part 1 of this two-part article series looks at the rules and factors to consider in a Roth IRA conversion.
Timothy A. Farmer and Gregory G. Geisler
You can build your employee stock purchase plan into your long-range savings and retirement strategy. This article compares buying company stock at a discount through your ESPP to putting the same money into your 401(k) or another retirement plan.
Bruce Brumberg
Employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs) are changing in many ways, largely in response to accounting rules. For Part 2, myStockOptions.com asked financial and wealth advisors what they are recommending to clients about ESPP participation.
Stanley Trotta with Robert Gordon
With tax increases possible in the future, now may be a good time to re-evaluate your current financial-planning strategy. Should you take action with stock options now or wait until new rates apply? Part 1 looks at nonqualified stock options.
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The 2010 Tax Relief Act extended the 2010 tax rates through 2012. This FAQ presents eight related planning points for equity compensation...
There's no requirement for which vested options you must exercise first. The decision of which options to exercise first is part of your...
For restricted stock, you can make what the tax code calls a Section 83(b) election to be taxed immediately at grant instead of later at vesting, when your stock price, and thus your tax rate, may be much higher. However, before you make your decision, realize that...
Before you even analyze the decision, you should learn the basic facts and risks of the Section 83(b) election. Once you understand it, the election can make sense in certain circumstances, including...
The tax treatment is the same as it is for donations of any stock to a qualified charity. When you have held the stock for more than one year...
A concentrated stock position occurs when a significant chunk of your net worth is tied up in a single stock. Strategies for hedging, diversification, and liquidity include...
This is a difficult question that only you can really answer, as your exercise timing depends on a number of personal factors unique to you...
It's similar to the tax treatment for any gifts of stock. You may make annual gifts to any number of recipient up to the specified annual amount without any tax impact. Financial advisors often tell clients with substantial stock holding to consider making...
When you exercise an option and retain the shares...
This depends on several factors. Below we present 10 ideas...
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