You have some decisions but fewer than you would with stock options, which prompt a decision about exercise timing and, if you hold the shares, require cash for the exercise and taxes. By contrast, restricted stock and restricted stock units...
Generally, yes, with two exceptions. First, with RSUs you cannot...
The compensation philosophies of companies are continually changing under the influence of many factors, from accounting rules to...
It's not easy to determine which type of grant is better for you...
Surveys indicate that many companies use a variety of grants, including both stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs) in tandem. There are many possible reasons why a company might switch from options to RSUs...
Starting with the broad grants of RSUs at Microsoft and Amazon, recent corporate practices and survey data suggest it is more likely that your company will grant you...
Shares of restricted stock are issued to you and are outstanding in your name from the time of grant, though typically you cannot transfer them until vesting. Most stock plans...
Not in the way stock options can. Restricted stock is worth the full market value of the stock when it vests (or, with restricted stock units, when shares are delivered). It does not matter if...
Stock grants, such as options or restricted stock, are typically determined by the group or person that sets cash compensation levels and bonuses at your company. The full board, compensation committee, or authorized officer of the company then...
In most instances, stock grants are subject to the same types of practical limitations as negotiations for your cash compensation. For example, an employer may...
Guidelines about grant sizes vary among industries and corporate peer groups. Most companies...
Some companies have more than one stock plan. When a company offers just one omnibus plan...
Depending on the type of equity award, a stock grant agreement can have one or several pages setting forth a range of terms for you to review, including...
Not for standard time-vested restricted stock. These grants do not have a term, as stock options do. The vesting of restricted stock depends on...
In a public company, the shares are usually granted at no cost to you, and there is no exercise. Under a few states' corporation laws, lawyers recommend that you...
The calculation is simple. You multiply the number of shares you received by the...
Your grant is adjusted according to the split ratio that applies...
Instead of paying cash dividends, a small number of companies require...
Usually the shares are legended with the restrictions, and they are often...
A vesting schedule dictates when you may exercise your stock options or when the forfeiture restrictions lapse on restricted stock. Vesting is determined separately for each grant. A schedule is time-based if you must...
Vesting schedules provide for either "cliff" vesting or "graded" vesting. Most graded-vesting stock grants have restrictions that...
Graded vesting is more common than cliff vesting. According to surveys, the most common vesting schedule for these grants is...
Unlike in some benefit plans, service for time-vested option and restricted stock grants is rarely...
Generally, leaving the company before the vesting date of restricted stock or RSUs typically causes the forfeiture of shares that have not vested. Exceptions can occur, depending on...
In short, yes, assuming this termination is made for good-faith reasons, such as business downsizing. Most employees are "at will," which means...
While restricted stock or RSUs still have value even when a company's stock price is lower than the grant price (stock options would be underwater), any type of equity grant can be worthless if a company goes bankrupt. That is one of the many lessons of...
"Releasing" restricted stock is the process by which your company transfers or "frees" shares to you when...
The "lapse" is the end of the restriction that prevented the shares from vesting and being transferred to you. The lapse election is the method by which you choose withholding methods and what will be done with the...
After restricted stock vests, it becomes stock that you own outright, like shares bought on the open market. However, as with any stock you own, you can lose the shares...
Whether you hold stock certificates, hold your shares in a brokerage account, or have an online trading account, you will need the assistance of a stockbroker...
Tax 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.
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