If you’ve received a significant share of company stock, or your positions have grown meaningfully post-IPO, you may be searching for strategies to mitigate downside risk and diversify your portfolio. However, selling appreciated stock can create significant tax...
I’m Daniel Zajac, CFP®
I write about employee stock options and equity compensation in a way that is easy to understand.
8 Things to Know About AMT Credit and Incentive Stock Options
Incentive stock options (ISO) and the alternative minimum tax (AMT) go hand in hand (here’s an in-depth guide on their correlation if you’re unfamiliar). If you exercise and hold ISOs in the hopes of enjoying the tax benefits of a qualified disposition (such as its...
How Might Behavioral Finance Impact Your Equity Compensation?
When you think of “equity compensation,” you might think about incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, and restricted stock units. If you dig even deeper, you may also think about tax implications, including the alternative minimum tax and qualified...
Tender Offers and Your Equity Comp: What to Consider if Your Private Company Presents a Liquidity Event
A tender offer creates a short-term liquidity event for private employees, who otherwise may not have much choice or control over selling their company stock (since it’s not traded publicly on the market yet). It is a single, limited event where employees may choose to sell their shares. However, once the offer period has passed, the company stock shares become illiquid again.
Incorporating Equity Compensation into a Multi-Generational Wealth Transfer Plan
Let’s take a look at how taxes play a role in the most common wealth transfer strategies, as well as what steps you can take now to incorporate your equity compensation into your estate plan.
Navigating Tax Time: Tips for Filing Your K-1 Form
For most people, tax time can be a headache—though for earners with traditional compensation packages, it can at least be fairly predictable (W-2 wages, withheld taxes, 401(k) contribution deductions, etc.). If you’re a business owner, partner, or investor in a...
How Your Income May Influence a Qualified Sale of Incentive Stock Options (ISOs)
Incentive stock options (ISOs) are known far and wide for their preferential tax treatment on the total recognized gain—as long as you meet the holding period requirements for a qualified sale.
The Basics of Equity Compensation
If your employer provides equity compensation as a part of its benefits package, you can expect to receive a wealth of information about the program. If you’re new to the subject, the amount of information and the details can be daunting, especially if you’re not yet familiar with the basics. To help with that, let’s take a step back and view the big picture on equity compensation.
When Intentionally Disqualifying ISOs at Year End May Make Sense
Deciding when to exercise, hold, and sell your incentive stock options (ISOs) is complicated, requiring you to manage several simultaneous financial variables, all at the same time. These include: Prices: Especially the strike price, the share price at exercise, and...
Rethinking Whether to Exercise and Hold Non-Qualified Stock Options for Long-Term Capital Gains Tax
When it comes to evaluating strategies to exercise your Non-Qualified Stock Options (NQSOs), what is your best plan of attack? Do you: Exercise and sell all your NQSOs immediately, cashing out the full proceeds? Exercise your NQSOs and hold shares of stock, hoping the stock price will go up? Or, leave your NQSOs unexercised and hope the stock price will go up? If you anticipate a higher stock price in the future…
Dive Deeper
Whether you’re just getting started or expanding your knowledge, here are some resources to get you started.
NEW! The Ultimate Guide to Equity Compensation
Understand what you have, what you should consider, and what ultimately matters to you.
Hi, I'm Daniel Zajac, CFP®, EA
I write about equity compensation and employee stock options in a way that is easy to understand.
NEW! The Ultimate Guide to Equity Compensation
Understand what you have, what you should consider, and what ultimately matters to you.
FREE DOWNLOAD
Get the Ultimate Guide to Incentive Stock Options to better understand your equity compensation.