WEBINAR: Our year-end webinar is available on demand: Year-End Financial & Tax Planning For Equity Comp. Agenda and panelist details are on the webinar registration page.

The checklist below summarizes what you need for comprehensive year-end and year-start planning with stock compensation and company stock holdings.

Review:

Know:

Consider:

  • your situation, including short-term cash needs that may prompt you to sell company stock and/or exercise options
  • whether your decisions should be entirely tax-driven
  • your outlook for both your company's stock price and your job
  • how comfortable you are with your concentration in company stock and whether you should diversify
  • multi-year projections for your income and taxes
  • donations in company shares instead of in cash
  • Any changes needed in beneficiary designations, when allowed, for your stock compensation and/or your brokerage account holding company shares.
  • Whether to pay estimated taxes in the year ahead because of substantial income expected from restricted stock/RSU vesting, NQSO exercises, ISO exercises, or an ESPP purchase/sale.

Collect:

  • Company and brokerage firm statements, whether online or in print. You will need them for tax-return reporting.

For year-end financial-planning points to consider with stock compensation, see a related FAQ.