Concentration Risk and Your Equity Compensation: Reasons and Rebuttals

Concentration risk is an issue of interest to nearly every employee, executive, business owner, or anyone else holding company stock and employee stock options. What is concentration risk? It’s loosely defined as holding a significant portion of wealth in a single stock, which could result in an inappropriately diversified portfolio. Unfortunately, the ambiguity associated

If you’re wondering how to maximize the value of your incentive stock options (ISOs), non-qualified stock options (NQSOs), restricted stock units (RSUs), or other forms of equity compensation, you’re not alone. After all, there is plenty to think about if you’ve been granted equity compensation. You may dream of how to strike it rich. You may fear you’ll do something wrong and miss out. You might become mired in taxing technicalities, including AMT calculations. All that thinking can backfire if “TMI” (too much information) prevents you from proceeding.

You can develop concentrated equity positions in your investment portfolio when you own or control a single stock that makes up a significant part of your overall allocation. While there are many reasons this can happen, one common way people find themselves with a concentrated position is when they receive equity compensation. Employee stock options, restricted stock units, or other company equity that you may receive create the opportunity to participate in the growth of...

Many financial planners will suggest that you allocate no more than 10-15% of your investable net worth into a single stock position. That range can allow you to benefit from the potential upside of a growing, successful company, without leaving your assets too vulnerable to a less-desirable outcome if the company underperforms. If you want to follow that guideline and you receive equity compensation, that means understanding how to strategically liquidate company stock whenever you...