Tom Davison and Liam Hurley
UPDATED FOR 2013! The time right after you have completed your tax return is ideal for big-picture financial planning. You can more accurately project your income and likely tax situation for the remainder of this year and the next, including AMT risk and capital-loss carry-forwards, to develop your strategy.
Alan B. Ungar
NEW! The American Taxpayer Relief Act and the Affordable Care Act introduced tax-rate increases you need to consider in deciding when to exercise stock options, when to sell company stock, and how to plan around income from restricted stock vesting. This article explains the changes in tax law and suggests strategies for minimizing the new taxes.
Andy Wagner
NEW! Having both nonqualified stock options and nonqualified deferred compensation gives you a tremendous amount of flexibility to optimize your financial planning and tax situation. In this article, I explain how I have used the two plans in concert with one another.
Mark Miller
For employees and executives, international travel and relocation are increasingly common. The taxation of "mobile employees" is always complex, and never more than with equity compensation. Part 1 introduces the key concepts and rules, including the sourcing and apportioning of income.
Mark Miller
International assignments or relocations can present attractive opportunities for career advancement. However, the taxation of equity compensation for mobile employees raises complex issues. Part 2 looks at specific scenarios, withholding taxes, and tax equalization.
The myStockOptions.com Tax Team
UPDATED FOR 2013! Learn how to report your sales of stock on the new Form 8949 and revised Schedule D of IRS Form 1040.
Bruce Brumberg and Lynnette Khalfani
UPDATED FOR 2013! This tax return season has the potential to be more confusing than most if you sold stock last year. Read this article for tips on reporting stock sales and on other crucial tax return topics.
Bruce Brumberg
UPDATED FOR 2013! If there's a way to make learning about tax forms fun, we'll try it. Learn how to prevent costly tax return mistakes with this animated presentation on IRS Form 1099-B, IRS Form 8949, and Schedule D.
Bruce Brumberg
UPDATED FOR 2013! The stock-sale information provided by brokers on IRS Form 1099-B has changed. Cost-basis reporting, both for your broker on Form 1099-B and for you on your tax return, is now more complex, confusing, and vulnerable to errors. This article explains the crucial facts you must know to avoid overpaying tax or attracting unwanted IRS attention.
Marilyn Renninger
Here's some advice for financial fitness: take stock of taxes before you exercise! When and how you exercise your stock options can have a major impact on how much tax and which taxes you'll pay.
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The full spread for a nonqualified stock option is included in your gross income for the year of exercise as ordinary income...
This depends on several factors. Below we present 10 ideas...
All exercises with an exercise date in 2013, and all restricted stock with a vesting date in 2013, will be included in 2013 taxes and on your W-2 for 2013, and will count...
Capital gains tax applies on the amount of your gains above...
Capital gain is income that arises from the sale of a capital asset. Gain from the sale of securities held for investment, such as shares acquired from stock compensation...
Yes. The spread at exercise of an NQSO is "wages" for purposes of...
There is a federal tax (called FUTA) to help fund unemployment benefits. FUTA is imposed on...
Many states, along with some counties and cities, impose...
Your actual tax bracket may be higher or lower than the mandatory federal withholding rate. Whether your company can withhold more depends on...
Backup withholding is a form of tax withholding on income from stock sales, along with interest income, dividends, or other types of payments that are reported on Form 1099. Your brokerage firm is required to make backup withholding if you are...
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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.
Test and improve your knowledge with our Stock Options quiz and its study guide in the answer key.
Want to know more? Got 6 minutes? Listen to our new Podcast on the basics of stock options!
Stock Option Financial Planning After Your Tax Return Is Filed And At Year-End (Part 1) 
