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.

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Hi, I'm Daniel Zajac, CFP®, EA

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I write about equity compensation and employee stock options in a way that is easy to understand.