Financial Planning

The time right after you have filed your tax return is ideal for big-picture financial planning—now more than ever with the changes under the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. Your 2018 tax return lets you fully understand the impact of the tax changes, and the amount of your total taxes was probably different than what you had projected. This recently updated article series discusses factors to consider in your income and tax projections, along with planning ideas.

Podcast included! The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act has provisions that affect stock compensation, whether in financial planning or in stock plan administration. This article details six with an impact on the taxation of stock compensation or holdings of company shares.

Your tax return can help you develop your tax-planning strategy for stock options, restricted stock/RSUs, and holdings of company stock. Now that you have filed your first tax return after all the changes under the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, you can make more accurate projections for the year ahead. Consider your future income, taxes, AMT risk, and use of capital-loss carry-forwards. Review the details of your stock plan documents to develop a program for option exercises and restricted stock/RSU vesting.

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

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...

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 following questions...

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 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...

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

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...

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...