What happens when your restricted stock grant vests?

What happens when your restricted stock grant vests?

If an employee decides to hold their shares until they receive the full vested allocation and the company’s stock rises, the employee receives the capital gain minus the value of the shares withheld for income taxes and the amount due in capital gains taxes.

How do RSU grants work?

An RSU is a grant whose worth is based on the value of the company’s stock. There is no value to the employee when issued. The RSUs will vest at some point in the future based on time passed or perhaps the achievement of a goal.

What are grants of restricted stock?

Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a form of stock based compensation where a company grants an employee with shares to the company. This method of issuing stock to employees is ‘restricted’ as stocks are issued through a ‘vesting plan’ and ‘distribution schedule’.

What is an RSU vesting cliff?

Vesting. Restricted stock and RSUs typically vest monthly or quarterly for three to five years with a one-year “cliff.” A one-year cliff means that either 12 months or four quarters of vesting complete all at once at the end of the first year. Vesting encourages employees to stay with the company.

How do I report a vested RSU?

Even though you do not purchase stock acquired from restricted stock/RSUs, your tax basis for reporting the stock sale on Form 8949 is the amount of compensation income recognized at vesting that appeared on your Form W-2. If you made a Section 83(b) election, the basis amount is the value at grant on your Form W-2.

What is a stock option grant?

From the employee’s standpoint, a stock option grant is an opportunity to purchase stock in the company for which they work. Typically, the grant price is set as the market price at the time the grant is offered.

Should I sell RSU when they vest?

Usually, it is recommended to sell the RSU immediately after the vesting period is complete to avoid any additional taxes. Insiders and employees that hold the RSU, need a RSU selling strategy. But for investors with a different and more diverse portfolio, holding on to the RSU is the choice to make.

Can you transfer restricted stock?

company gives you restricted stock shares or units, though you are prohibited from selling or transferring them for a certain time. On the day that time is up — the vest date — you are free to sell or transfer the shares. (Some plans permit you to defer receipt of the shares to a later date.)

Can you sell restricted stock units?

It is common to sell the vested RSUs as soon as one receives them. From an employee’s viewpoint, once the RSUs have vested and shares are received, they sell it for cash. The RSU served its purpose of being a compensation tool. This extra compensation, when received, is taxed as income.

What is a clingcliff vesting schedule?

Cliff vesting relates to employer-sponsored retirement plans, employee stock option plans and restricted stock units. The term describes the schedule in which an employee’s benefits are paid (or “vest”) all at once on a given date. Alternatively, vesting can happen over time on a defined schedule. This is known as gradual vesting.

What is an example of a cliff vesting?

As an example, an employee’s stock options could vest either at a rate of 20% a year for five years (gradual vesting) or all at once after five years (cliff vesting).

What are restricted stock grants and dividends?

Restricted stock grants will sometimes also pass dividends along to the recipient through what’s called dividend equivalents. Employees that own restricted stock grants also may have voting rights. Example: You receive a restricted stock grant for 10,000 shares on a 4-year vesting schedule with 25% of the shares vesting each year.

How many shares will my grant vest each year?

Your graded vesting schedule spans four years, and 25% of the grant vests each year. At the first anniversary of your grant date and on the same date over the subsequent three years, 1,250 shares vest. Once each portion vests, you can sell the shares.

author

Back to Top