Matt Simon
NEW! While restricted stock and RSUs are relatively straightforward, they have technical aspects you must understand to make the most of them. Learn the essential facts of restricted stock and RSUs, including basic concepts, vesting schedules, and tax treatment.
Matt Simon
Your company's employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) can be a strong financial benefit. However, the rules and taxation can be tricky. This two-part article presents six topics you must be familiar with to get the most from your ESPP participation. Part 1 covers enrollment, plan types, and offering/purchase periods.
Matt Simon
Restricted stock units (RSUs) have become the most popular alternative to stock options. While RSUs share many of the same issues as restricted stock, there are differences, and it is important to understand the basics of RSUs in their own right.
Beth Walker
Avoid the mistakes others made during prior ups and downs in the stock markets. Common errors arise in nine different situations, including job termination, mergers, financial planning, term expiration, and various life events.
Beth Walker
Avoid the mistakes others made during prior ups and downs in the stock markets. Common errors arise in nine different situations, including job termination, mergers, financial planning, term expiration, and various life events.
Geoffrey M. Zimmerman
Successful strategies for equity compensation begin with identifying the role stock grants will play in your life, whether for retirement, college funding, or other goals. The greater the value of your grants, the more important this process becomes. This article provides helpful checklists of points to consider for three different types of investors.
Joanna Glasner and Bruce Brumberg
Don't be discouraged by stock market volatility and underwater stock options. As the experts note, stock grants are tools for building wealth in the long term.
W.E.B. Bantling
Market volatility and declines rattle even the most experienced holders of stock compensation (and their advisors). Here are 10 topics I find myself discussing over and over again with my best clients.
Richard Friedman
UPDATED! Get a sense of what you should, and should not, expect in the terms of your stock option grant. This survey of 300 companies looks at trends in vesting schedules, post-termination exercise rules, and other plan features.
Samuel D. Swisher
When should you exercise nonqualified stock options? You need a decision-making process that removes guesswork and emotions. Otherwise, you're likely to exercise too soon or too late.
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Generally, a stock option is a right that a corporation grants...
Restricted stock always has some value to you even when the stock price drops below the price on the date of grant...
Don't confuse restricted securities and restricted stock. They are very different...
An employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) is a type of stock plan that permits employees to use after-tax payroll deductions to acquire shares of their company's stock. Plans can have...
Employee stock purchase plans tend to be viewed as a benefit while stock options are a form of compensation. From an employee perspective, there are some differences in operations, eligibility, and design...
The full board of directors, the compensation committee, or an executive with expressly delegated authority...
In most cases, your exercise price for stock options is...
A vesting schedule dictates when you may exercise your stock options or when the forfeiture restrictions lapse on restricted stock. A schedule is time-based if you must...
The specific steps vary among companies. You usually first need to make an irrevocable election to exercise...
Unless you complete the required service period of work at your company or reach the performance target...
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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 Basics Of Stock Grants 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!
Restricted Stock 101: Five Essentials Of Restricted Stock & RSUs 
