Restricted Stock
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.
Restricted Stock - Taxes

Restricted Stock › Taxes

Articles

Restricted Stock Units Made Simple (Part 2): Taxation This is premium content

Video included! The taxation of RSUs generally resembles that of restricted stock but carries some important differences.

Restricted Stock/RSU Taxation: What You Need To Know (Part 2) This is premium content

Video included! Grants of restricted stock and restricted stock units (RSUs) carry their own requirements and tax rules, which can significantly differ from those of stock options.

VIDEO! Restricted Stock & RSUs (Part 2): Taxes & Key Decisions After Tax Reform

Presented by the editor-in-chief of myStockOptions.com, this engaging video covers the tax treatment of restricted stock and restricted stock units (RSUs), including the tax rates, the timing of taxation, withholding, and the key points you must know after tax reform. Running time: 3:37
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Decisions At Grant With Restricted Stock (Part 1): Tax Fundamentals This is premium content

Thanks to the IRS, with restricted stock you have to make decisions immediately at grant. Learn the rules that accompany this increasingly popular type of equity compensation.

Decisions At Vesting With Restricted Stock (Part 1): Withholding This is premium content

Vesting is a crucial moment for making decisions about your restricted stock. This article series examines your alternatives. Part 1 discusses withholding.

FAQs

Video included! When and how is a grant of restricted stock or RSUs taxed?

The timing of taxation is different than that of stock options. You pay tax at the time the restrictions on the stock lapse. This occurs when...

My restricted stock grant is about to vest. Any way to reduce the tax impact? This is premium content

Usually not directly with the vesting. However, you can plan around the higher income. Here are a few ideas to consider...

Video included! How does the taxation of restricted stock and restricted stock units differ? This is premium content

Technically, different tax code sections apply, though under most grants the tax results are similar. With restricted stock you are taxed at vesting or earlier at grant if you make a timely Section 83(b) election. Most experts believe that with RSUs you cannot make...
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How did the 2018 tax reforms affect restricted stock and RSUs? This is premium content

While the core tax treatment of restricted stock and RSUs has not changed, the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act has provisions that directly and indirectly affect restricted stock/RSUs...

What, when, and how are the taxes withheld from my restricted stock or RSUs? This is premium content

Restricted stock withholding is similar to withholding for most other forms of supplemental compensation. You can have different choices for paying taxes, or your company may automatically...

What are the federal tax-withholding rates on stock compensation? Can my company use a different rate? This is premium content

Supplemental income, such as stock compensation, is subject to one of two flat rates that are linked to rates in the income tax brackets. When the income tax rates change, as they did with the...

What is IRS Form W-4 and how does it apply to withholding from stock compensation?

IRS Form W-4 determines how much federal withholding tax will be deducted from your paycheck, at least from your salary. You want to submit a new Form W-4 to adjust your withholding whenever your personal or financial situation changes. In 2020, the IRS introduced a revised Form W-4 that...

When my restricted stock/RSU grant vests, how does my company choose the stock price for calculating my W-2 reporting and my share withholding? This is premium content

This depends on how your stock plan defines fair market value (FMV). Some companies use the...

How does my employer determine the amount of withholding due at the vesting of my restricted stock grant? This is premium content

Federal income tax is imposed on the value of the shares at vesting (or at grant if you made a Section 83(b) election, which is unavailable for RSUs). Tax is generally withheld at the flat rate of...

Too much Social Security tax was withheld. How do I recover the excess amount? This is premium content

When too much Social Security tax is withheld above the Social Security wage base during a calendar year, your recovery approach depends on whether...

What is backup withholding? How do I prevent it or recover it? This is premium content

Backup withholding is a form of tax withholding on income from stock sales, along with interest income, dividends, or other payments that are reported on...

How does a non-US resident reclaim US backup withholding? This is premium content

If you are a nonresident alien and do not complete and file Form W-8BEN with the IRS upon receiving stock-sale proceeds, such as those stemming from equity awards, your brokerage firm will assess backup withholding on the proceeds. To reclaim backup withholding, take the following steps...

Do restricted stock/RSU tax withholding and reporting differ if I am an independent contractor, a consultant, or an outside director rather than an employee? This is premium content

Yes. While the tax treatment of restricted stock and RSUs is the same for everyone, the reporting and withholding are different for employees and nonemployees...

What is a "substantial risk of forfeiture" and how does it affect the taxation of restricted stock? This is premium content

This tax term applies when rights to compensation are conditioned upon future performance of services or the occurrence of...

Can I control when I will be taxed on restricted stock and restricted stock units (RSUs)? This is premium content

Not as you can with stock option exercises. With restricted stock, you are taxed either...

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 restricted stock? This is premium content

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

Is the value of my restricted stock at vesting subject to state and local taxes? What if I move? This is premium content

Many states, counties, and cities impose income tax on their residents. Those that do have income tax almost always...

How are the dividends on restricted stock taxed and reported to me? This is premium content

Dividends that are earned on restricted stock are considered compensation income, which is reported on your W-2 (1099-MISC for nonemployees, such as directors). Once the shares vest, dividends are no longer compensation and instead become...

My company will let me exchange my underwater options for restricted stock. What is the tax impact? This is premium content

The standard option-for-option exchange is not taxable. When you exchange underwater options for restricted stock, the value of the shares...

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

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

How is restricted stock handled in divorce? Who pays taxes when restricted stock or vested company shares are transferred in a divorce settlement? This is premium content

This depends on the terms of your stock plan, the settlement agreement, and the final division of...

Upon my death, the vesting of my restricted stock would accelerate. How would the value be taxed as part of my estate? This is premium content

Typically, all or a pro rata portion of any restricted stock vests at death. The value of restricted stock that vests and is payable at your death will...
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