Employee stock options and restricted stock units are collectively discussed under the umbrella of equity compensation. As equity compensation, they have some similarities. Yet they also have a lot of differences. It is these differences that are reviewed and highlighted in this article.
Category: Restricted Stock
Should You Really Sell Your Vested Restricted Stock Units? The Answer Is a Resounding “Maybe”
Do you hold Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that are about to vest, or have recently vested? That probably means you’re a valued employee, so congrats on that. Still, vested RSUs are a taxable event in your life, as well as a financial planning conundrum: Are you better off hanging onto the vested company stock you now hold, or selling them, to reinvest the proceeds elsewhere? A common—and often correct—consensus is to sell the vested stock shares that originate from vested RSUs.
How to Use Restricted Stock Units to Fund Financial Planning Goals
Employees who receive Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) as part of their compensation will have a number of things to consider. Tax implications, financial planning…
How to Choose if Offered Restricted Stock Units or Non Qualified Stock Options
Some employers may allow you to choose how you receive your equity compensation. They may allow you to receive it all in NQSOs or all in RSUs or they may allow you to…
What Are the Key Differences Between Restricted Stock Units and Employee Stock Options?
Restricted stock units and employee stock options are commonly-awarded types of equity compensation that you may receive as part of your overall pay from your employer. While both restricted stock units and stock options are forms of equity, they each have particular features and are treated very differently from a tax perspective. Restricted stock units or awards (RSUs) typically…
6 Advanced Planning Ideas to Use When Your Restricted Stock Units Vest
Restricted stock is often considered the simplest type of equity compensation to understand. And relative to other types of equity you could receive, this might be true. But that doesn’t mean managing restricted stock is easy. Restricted stock gets complicated thanks to factors such as double triggers, tax withholding (or lack thereof), and sell-to-cover or…
How to Prepare for the Impact of Restricted Stock Units on Your Cash Flow, Tax Bill, and Investment Portfolio
Restricted stock units are often considered the most straightforward type of equity compensation. Unlike other ways that employees can receive shares of company stock, restricted stock units (or RSUs) often have a largely automated process for granting, vesting, and taxation. Once vested and settled, the fair market value of the RSUs is taxed and the…
What You Need to Know about Double-Trigger Restricted Stock Units
If you work for a private company and receive restricted stock units as part of your compensation package, that equity compensation may have a double-trigger provision. While not all restricted stock units, or RSUs, come with this feature, it’s an important element to understand. What Are Double-Trigger RSUs? Double-trigger restricted stock units are those that…
5 Advantages of Restricted Stock – and What That May Mean For You
There are many types of equity compensation that an employer can include in an employee's compensation package to attract and retain the best talent. Each kind has its own set of rules that apply to how that equity is managed, granted, and taxed. It's important to...
How to Determine the Right Time to Sell Restricted Stock Units (and Why Selling Immediately Might Make Sense)
Restricted stock units are often offered as part of a compensation package to attract and retain key employees They are restricted in that certain requirements must be met before the employee can obtain full ownership rights to the value of the units. Receiving your...
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Hi, I'm Daniel Zajac, CFP®, EA
I write about equity compensation and employee stock options in a way that is easy to understand.
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