ISOs NQSOs Stock options Tax planning Updated for 2020

How Are Stock Options Taxed?

How are stock options taxed? If you have stock options or equity-based compensation as a large part of your income, the tax treatment of your stock options is especially important. How stock options are taxed depends on the type of options you have (incentive or non-qualified) and your sale and…

Kristin McKennaJune 24, 2020

ISOs Job Transition NQSOs Stock options

What Happens To Stock Options If You Are Laid Off?

Losing your job is stressful. If you've been laid off, you may be wondering what will happen to your stock options or restricted stock units. It will depend on some specific details about your company, grant agreement, and the type of stock options or awards you have. Here's what you…

Kristin McKennaApril 22, 2020

Diversification Employee benefits Investing Investing During a Crisis ISOs Managing Risk NQSOs Restricted Stock Awards RSUs SARs Stock options

Don’t Get Taken Down When Your Employer’s Stock Sinks

What can happen if you own too much of your company's stock? The coronavirus outbreak is yet another example of the dangers of having too much company stock. Some C-level executives are required to hold a certain amount, but many employees voluntarily double-down by either holding vested stock or buying…

Kristin McKennaMarch 24, 2020

Employee benefits IPO Stock options

What Happens to Stock Options After a Failed IPO?

WeWork (now called The We Company) was just steps from a historic initial public offering when mounting concerns over the company's rampant spending, erratic behavior by then-CEO Adam Neumann, and sloppy IPO filings effectively forced the startup to shelve its highly-anticipated IPO. Valued at $47 billion in January 2019 for…

Kristin McKennaOctober 30, 2019

Financial Planning ISOs NQSOs Restricted Stock Awards RSUs Stock options

Should You Sell Stock Options After The IPO Lockup Period?

What's your IPO lockup expiration strategy? Working for a company as it goes public can be a very exciting and rewarding experience. If you have stock options, restricted stock awards, or restricted stock units, an IPO means there will soon be a public market for your shares. an IPO makes…

Kristin McKennaAugust 6, 2019

Restricted Stock Awards Stock options Updated for 2020

What You Need to Know About Your Restricted Stock Awards

A restricted stock award is a type of stock compensation plan where individuals are granted (or may purchase) shares of company stock to be received at a later date, when vesting requirements are met. Employees must decide when to pay income tax on their restricted shares through an 83(b) election.…

Kristin McKennaSeptember 16, 2018

Employee benefits ISOs NQSOs RSUs SARs Stock options

What Happens to Stock Options if I Leave the Company?

It's common for employees to move around, especially in tech and biotech. Before signing a new offer letter, make sure to understand what could happen to your stock options, restricted stock units, or other forms of equity-based compensation if you leave the company. Also, remember that each company has their…

Kristin McKennaMay 29, 2018

Employee benefits Financial Planning Investing ISOs NQSOs RSUs Stock options

Employee Stock Options Explained

Stock options or awards can be quite complex. The goal of Employee Stock Options Explained is to provide employees with a complete primer to their stock options. Simple explanations so you have the tools to begin to manage your stock options. Employer stock may be a significant part of your…

Kristin McKennaSeptember 12, 2017

Diversification ISOs NQSOs RSUs Stock options

What Happens to Stock Options After a Company Goes Public?

Whether you work for a company that is pre-IPO or has recently gone public, you may be wondering what that means for your stock options or restricted stock units (RSUs). The truth is, there are many different things that can happen to your stock options after an IPO. Here's a…

Kristin McKennaAugust 8, 2017

Infographics ISOs NQSOs Stock options

Incentive Stock Options vs Non-Qualified Stock Options

What's the difference between ISOs and NSOs? Although there are some key differences to be aware of, non-qualified and incentive stock options also have a lot in common. For employees, stock options can offer both risk and reward. Unlike restricted stock units, which are given or "awarded" to employees, incentive…

Kristin McKennaApril 1, 2017