Financial Planning
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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.
The most commonly overlooked asset in financial planning may be surprising: it's compensation. And it's where your clients usually need the most guidance.
Financial Planning

Financial Planning

As frequently featured at Forbes.com and by Plansponsor, our Financial Planning section explores approaches to making the most of stock grant gains while minimizing taxes. The coverage includes the role of stock grants in gifts, estates and trusts, dividends, hedging, and more.

Test your knowledge with our Financial Planning quiz and interactive answer key!
Want to learn more about financial planning for equity compensation? Visit our podcasts page for interviews with some of our expert contributing authors. Advisors, Have You Heard About MSO Pro?
Made just for you, with tools to track and model grants for multiple clients, and proactive communications to build relationships. Learn more now!

Selected Articles

Strategies

10 Financial-Planning Rules For Restricted Stock And RSUs This is premium content

myStockOptions.com Editorial Team
Podcast included! While grants of restricted stock and RSUs are conceptually simple, financial planning for them can be complex. This article presents the essential financial-planning points that you should consider before your restricted stock or RSU grant vests.
Strategies

Top 10 Financial-Planning Rules That Everyone With Stock Options Needs To Know

Michael Beriss
Podcast included! If you've been granted stock options, congratulations. But now what? Maximizing the value of stock options is one of the most complex financial-planning challenges you may face. The 10 guidelines in this article will help you get the most out of your option grants: setting goals, stock option valuation, exercise timing, job-loss considerations, understanding the taxation, and much more. An interactive companion quiz lets you test yourself on what you've learned.
Strategies

10 Financial-Planning Rules Every ESPP Participant Should Know This is premium content

myStockOptions.com Editorial Team
Podcast included! Employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs) are a super deal. However, the related taxation and financial planning can be deceptively complex. This article presents the essential points that you should understand before you participate in your company's ESPP.
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Advanced Strategies

How To Defer Or Pay No Capital Gains Tax On Company Stock Sales: 6 Ways Under The Tax Code This is premium content

Bruce Brumberg
The US tax code provides a few perfectly legal ways, depending on your income, financial goals, and even life expectancy, to defer or pay no capital gains tax, maximizing the benefits of your grants and letting you put away more toward your financial goals.
Strategies

VOLATILITY SPECIAL! Stockbrokers' Secrets: Equity Compensation Strategies For Volatile Markets

John P. Barringer
Market volatility and stock-price declines rattle even the most experienced holders of stock compensation (and their financial advisors). Sooner or later, volatility or downturns may force you to make decisions that affect your financial future and long-term wealth. This article presents topics that I find myself discussing over and over again with my best clients.
Advanced Strategies

When To Wait, Hold, Or Sell: A Wealth Manager Reveals His Wisdom On Stock Option Exercise Strategy (Part 1) This is premium content

Tim Kochis
Podcast included! When your stock options vest, you need a strategy to make the most of their wealth-building value. However, no single strategy fits everyone. This article discusses various approaches to planning your option exercises.
This is simply a selection of the many articles in this section.
Use the navigation to the left to explore all of the categories in this section.

Selected FAQs

Strategies

What are the top 10 questions that I should answer before making a financial plan with my stock compensation?

You need a financial plan that considers your goals for the income, identifies decisions you must make with your grants and acquired shares, and factors in the related tax consequences. Start by knowing the answers to the questions in this FAQ's checklist...
Strategies

My restricted stock/RSUs will vest soon. Should I sell the shares at vesting or hold them?

When restricted stock, restricted stock units, or performance shares vest, whether you sell or hold the shares depends on various factors. Some of them are under your control...
Strategies

I have various stock option grants with vested options. Do I need to exercise first my oldest grants or my oldest vested options?

There's no requirement for which vested options you must exercise first. The decision of which options to exercise first is part of your...
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Strategies

What are the 10 most important financial-planning rules for employee stock purchase plans?

Before you participate in your company's employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), understand the following essential points for financial planning with ESPPs...
Diversification

What is a concentrated stock position, and what can I do to protect myself and get cash for other purposes? This is premium content

A concentrated stock position occurs when a significant chunk of your net worth is tied up in a single stock. Strategies for hedging, diversification, and liquidity include...
Strategies

What are the top 10 questions related to retirement planning that I should ask about my stock options, restricted stock/RSUs, or ESPP participation?

Retirement savings can be significantly boosted by equity compensation. When factoring stock options, restricted stock/RSUs, or ESPPs into your retirement planning, you should know the answers to the questions in this FAQ's checklist...
Advanced Strategies

My company is granting restricted stock, and the share price is lower than I think it will be in a few years. Any tax-planning ideas? This is premium content

For restricted stock, you can make what the tax code calls a Section 83(b) election to be taxed immediately at grant instead of later at vesting, when your stock price, and thus your tax rate, may be much higher. However, before you make your decision, realize that...
Diversification

How do I diversify my company-stock holdings? This is premium content

Diversification is a sound practice in building and preserving personal wealth. If, along with stock options, you also own your company stock outright, settle on a comfortable ownership percentage...
High Net Worth

How did the 2018 tax reforms affect stock compensation?

In effect from the start of 2018, the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act has provisions that directly and indirectly affect stock compensation...
Advanced Strategies

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...
High Net Worth

Can my company set ownership guidelines for company stock? Any survey data about their use? This is premium content

Stock ownership guidelines specify how much company stock you must own in total or as a multiple of salary. Most companies count in the calculation the...
This is simply a selection of the many FAQs in this section.
Use the navigation to the left to explore all of the categories in this section.
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