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Life Events

Life Events explores the role stock grants play in the financial planning for a variety of major personal occurrences.

Browse an overview of this section below, or explore the subsections to the left.

Major topics covered include retirement and retirement plans; paying higher-education costs with stock grants; divorce and its impact; death and the death taxes on your estate; and disability.



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

Carol Cantrell
Your stock options and restricted stock are important for your retirement planning. Understand the related issues and explore strategies, whether you are planning for retirement now, are nearing retirement, or have retired already.

Stockbrokers' Secrets (Part 6): What I Tell My Best Clients About Retirement Planning With Stock Compensation This is premium content

W.E.B. Bantling
Many of my clients do not see stock compensation in the bigger picture of retirement savings and withdrawal plans. Considering net worth, age, and company stock plan, I present the client with these core points about stock grants, 401(k) plans, nonqualified deferred compensation, and IRAs.

Retirement Planning With Your Stock Options And Other Stock Compensation (Part 2: Retirement Year) This is premium content

Carol Cantrell
Once you reach your retirement year, the decision landscape and timeframe change. To avoid unpleasant surprises, understand what will happen to your stock grants and other company benefits so that you can develop appropriate strategies.

Retirement Planning With Your Stock Options And Other Stock Compensation (Part 3: Post-Retirement Planning) This is premium content

Carol Cantrell
UPDATED FOR REVISED TAX LAW! Tax planning for retirees can be more challenging that it was during their working years. You need to constantly monitor any options and company stock holdings as part of your overall portfolio. Part 3 looks at special issues that can arise after you retire, including Social Security; coordinating with required minimum distributions for IRAs and your 401(k); moving to another state; and the gifting of stock.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation In Divorce This is premium content

Noah B. Rosenfarb
NEW! Senior executives at public companies often have not just stock compensation but nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC), which can raise numerous issues in divorce. If your compensation includes an NQDC plan, you and your advisors need to consider your equitable distribution alternatives for the property settlement agreement.

Funding Your Child's College Education With Stock Options And Other Stock Grants (Part 1)

Troy Onink
UPDATED FOR 2010! Your ability to pay for college, and ultimately have more money for retirement, may rest on your company's stock plan and related financial planning. Part 1 helps you understand the impact that equity grants have on financial aid eligibility.

Funding Your Child's College Education With Stock Options And Other Stock Grants (Part 2) This is premium content

Troy Onink
UPDATED FOR 2010! Part 2 reviews the basics of gift tax and the tax treatment of stock compensation in your financial planning for higher education.

Funding Your Child's College Education With Stock Options And Other Stock Grants (Part 3) This is premium content

Troy Onink
UPDATED FOR 2010! As college tuition and expenses rise, funding and tax strategies for middle-class families are shrinking, even with the new education credits adopted in 2009. Part 3 focuses on methods to minimize capital gains at sale, planning for the kiddie tax and education credits, and strategies your children can use.

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

Linda Olup
UPDATED! When you and your spouse decide to split, your stock options will probably be divided too. Become familiar with the crucial issues related to stock options in divorce, including the treatment of vested and unvested stock grants, approaches to valuation, and the division of options in the property settlement.

I'm Getting Divorced: What Happens To My Stock Options? (Part 2) This is premium content

Linda Olup
Understand how the courts approach stock option valuation in divorce cases and their division as marital property.

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After my death, at what times might my stock options be taxed?


Stock options that you hold when you die can be taxed twice...

What is an "employee stock ownership plan"?


An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a tax-qualified retirement plan designed to...

After I retire, will my company let my stock options or restricted stock continue to vest, or will it accelerate the vesting? This is premium content


Most likely, retirement will cause your company to do neither. Retirement is a type of termination of employment under your stock plan. Only a small minority of companies either let the stock options continue to...

To seek financial aid for my children's college tuition, I need to report my income and assets to the US Department of Education on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Should I list my stock grants? At what value? This is premium content


As long as the student is considered a dependent of the parent for financial-aid purposes, the parent does have to report stock options on line...

What happens to my stock options if I die before I exercise them?


You need to review the terms of your company's plan and your grant agreement. In most cases, the options do...

Is my spouse entitled to part of my stock options and other stock grants upon our divorce?


While there are some general trends, the treatment of stock options and other stock grants in divorce is far from similar in all states. In general, the outcome depends on four factors...

What happens to my stock grants if I become temporarily disabled?


Under some stock plans, if you are temporarily disabled and your employment is not terminated, you...

How do stock options, ESPPs, and restricted stock differ from the company stock fund or contribution offered under my 401(k) plan? This is premium content


401(k) plans are a type of broad-based, tax-qualified retirement plan funded by pre-tax contributions, unlike...

Can stock options, restricted stock, or an ESPP affect my other employee benefits, such as 401(k) contributions? This is premium content


With a few exceptions, the grant, vesting, or exercise of stock options, or the vesting of restricted stock, should not affect your other retirement-plan benefits. One notable exception...

Do stock plans treat early retirement differently from ordinary retirement?


Early retirement may be treated less favorably. According to a survey by the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals...

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Retirement Plans   
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Disability   
Death   
Death Taxes   

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