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
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.
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.
Matt Simon
TENTH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL! We at myStockOptions.com have seen a lot of changes since we launched the website back in June 2000. As part of our 10th-anniversary celebrations, this article reviews the top five issues and developments in equity compensation we have witnessed and covered over the past decade. Let's take a break, look back, and have some fun.
Michael Beriss
The stock markets will one day rise again. When they do, question the urge to exercise your options for quick profits as soon as possible: exercising too early can be a big mistake.
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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...
The exercise and the sale are separate. Whether you sell the shares at the time you exercise stock options depends on various factors. At exercise, you can usually...
Graded vesting is more common than cliff vesting. According to surveys, the most common vesting schedule for these grants is...
Vesting schedules are either established in advance by the board of directors when it approves the...
Perhaps. Your stock plan or grant agreement may provide that the company can refuse to allow exercises if...
Yes. Vesting schedules provide for either "cliff" vesting or "graded" vesting...
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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.
