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Tax Center

As featured in WebCPA, our Tax Center teaches the withholding, reporting, and filing rules for stock options, ESPPs, restricted stock, and SARs. Browse a section overview below, or explore the subtopics to the left.

Test Your KnowledgeTest and improve your knowledge with our Taxes quiz and its study guide in the answer key.

Want to know more? Listen to our updated podcast on tax return tips and how to avoid reporting mistakes!

NEW! A podcast on this year's new tax forms and reporting rules for stock sales.


  Articles   FAQs  

The Revised Form 1099-B & New Form 8949 For Reporting Stock Sales On Your Tax Return: How To Avoid Paying Too Much Tax This is premium content

Bruce Brumberg
NEW! 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.

VIDEO! New Tax Return Forms & Reporting Rules For Stock Sales

Bruce Brumberg
If there's a way to make learning about tax forms fun, we'll try it. Watch and hear this animated presentation on the expanded IRS Form 1099-B, the new IRS Form 8949, and the revised Schedule D. Learn now to prevent costly tax return mistakes later!

How To Report Sales Of Company Stock On Your Tax Return

The myStockOptions.com Tax Team
UPDATED FOR 2012! Learn how to report your sales of stock on the new Form 8949 and revised Schedule D of IRS Form 1040.

Avoid Tax Return Mistakes With Stock Options & ESPPs: What You Need To Know In 2012 This is premium content

Bruce Brumberg and Lynnette Khalfani
UPDATED! This tax return season has the potential to be more confusing than most if you sold stock last year. You must now file the new IRS Form 8949 along with the revised Schedule D. This change stems from the expansion of the information that brokers must report to you on IRS Form 1099-B. Read this article for tips on these and other crucial tax return topics.

IRS Form 3922 For ESPPs: What You Need To Know, And How It Can Help You Understand ESPP Taxation This is premium content

Bruce Brumberg
Stock purchases made through an ESPP during a calendar year are reported to you and the IRS on Form 3922 early in the following year. This article explains what you need to know about the information on the form, and how the form can help you better understand the complexities of ESPP taxation.

Stock Option Fundamentals (Part 4): NQSO Taxation This is premium content

Marilyn Renninger
You're ready to delve deeper into how and when different taxes apply to NQSOs. You need to consider taxes at exercise and at sale to put together a strategy that maximizes the value of your options.

ISOs: Tax Return Tips And Traps This is premium content

The myStockOptions.com Editorial Team & Contributors
Tax reporting with incentive stock options (ISOs) can be tricky. Learn what you need to report on your return at each stage of your ISO's life cycle.

NQSOs: Tax Return Tips And Traps This is premium content

The myStockOptions.com Editorial Team & Contributors
Understand the basic reporting requirements of stock options. Let's review what, if anything, you need to report on your tax return.

Restricted Stock & RSUs: What You Must Know To Avoid Tax Return Mistakes In 2012 This is premium content

The myStockOptions.com Tax Team
UPDATED! This tax return season has the potential to be more confusing than most if you sold stock last year. You must now file the new IRS Form 8949 along with the revised Schedule D. This change stems from the expansion of the information that brokers must report to you on IRS Form 1099-B. Read this article for tips on these and other crucial tax return topics.

Global Tax Guide To Equity Compensation For International & Cross-Border Employees UPDATED!

The myStockOptions.com Tax Team
The Global Tax Guide explains the taxation of equity awards in 32 countries: stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, stock appreciation rights, and employee stock purchase plans. The country profiles are regularly reviewed and updated as needed. We do our best to keep the writing lively.

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NEW! What are the big changes with reporting stock sales this year on my tax return? Why have these changes occurred?


For people who sold shares in 2011, major changes in tax reporting and filing are taking effect this tax season...

NEW! How is IRS Form 1099-B changing for sales of stock acquired from my stock options, restricted stock, or ESPP? This is premium content


More information is now reported on this form than in past years. This may prove to be more helpful, but it also may be more confusing. Issued to you by your brokerage firm, IRS Form 1099-B is an important document that you must have to complete your tax return. Recent legislation has changed the form in significant ways that you must understand...

NEW! What if the wrong cost basis is reported on my 1099-B? How do I report the right cost basis on Form 8949 of my tax return? This is premium content


The new Form 8949 is where you now list the details of each stock sale on your tax return, while the revised Schedule D is where you now merely aggregate the column totals from Form 8949 to report your total long-term and short-term gains and losses. From our interpretation of the forms and their instructions, myStockOptions.com recommends the following reporting steps to avoid overpaying taxes...

What do I need to know about the information on IRS Form 3922 for ESPPs? This is premium content


Your company is required to file Form 3922 with the IRS and either give you a copy or present the same information on a substitute document. The form contains information about your purchases in your company's tax-qualified ESPP during the prior tax year. With this reporting, the IRS now knows more information about your ESPP purchases than it did before, particularly with regard to your...

What do I need to know about the information on IRS Form 3921 for incentive stock options? This is premium content


Your company is required to file Form 3921 with the IRS and either give you a copy or present the same information on a substitute document. With this reporting, the IRS now knows more information about your ISO exercises than it did before, particularly with regard to...

W-2 diagram! What will my W-2 show after the vesting of restricted stock? This is premium content


Restricted stock results in ordinary income to you. This occurs either at the time...

W-2 diagram! What will my W-2 show after the vesting of restricted stock units? This is premium content


Restricted stock units result in ordinary income to you. This occurs when...

W-2 diagram! What will my W-2 show after the vesting of performance shares? This is premium content


Performance shares result in ordinary income to you. This occurs when the grant vests after specified targets are reached and shares are either delivered or paid out to you. Depending on the structure of the grant, this may occur in the year after the end of the performance period...

What tax statement will I receive from my broker after a sale of company stock I acquired by stock option exercise, restricted stock vesting, or ESPP purchase? This is premium content


You will need to gather certain information to complete your tax return. The broker will send you IRS Form 1099-B for the proceeds...

NEW! In the cost basis I use to report sales of company stock on my tax return, what part comprises the W-2 income from stock compensation or an ESPP? This is premium content


When your W-2 income is added to the price you paid for the stock, this is your cost basis on your tax return. The table below presents the compensation portion of your tax basis for all types of stock grants and ESPPs...

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   Tax Center   
Reporting Company Stock Sales   
Tax Changes 2003–2012   
NQSO Basics   
NQSO Withholding   
NQSOs: W-2s & Tax Returns   
ISO Basics   
ISO Withholding   
ISOs: W-2s & Tax Returns   
Restricted Stock Basics   
Restricted Stock Withholding   
Restricted Stock: W-2s & Tax Returns   
Section 83(b)   
ESPP Basics   
ESPP Withholding   
ESPPs: W-2s & Tax Returns   
SARs: W-2s & Tax Returns   
Global Tax Guide   

Annotated diagram of Schedule DTax 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.