RSUs, ESPP & Stock Options
“Can you help me understand how my equity compensation gets taxed?”
Equity compensation is often taxed differently depending on the type of award, the timing of vesting or exercise, and when shares are eventually sold. With RSUs, ESPPs, and stock options, the tax picture can also change based on whether income is treated as ordinary compensation or capital gain, and whether any withholding was handled at the time shares were delivered or exercised. In many cases, the details in the grant documents, payroll reporting, and brokerage statements shape how the income is reported and what later sale information needs to be matched up. Sitting down with a CPA for thirty minutes is usually enough to draw a clean line on this.
In your 60-minute session, the KGOB advisor handling it will:
- Read your exact situation and tell you, in plain English, what’s actually going on.
- Lay out your options and the trade-offs — no jargon, no judgment.
- Give you a clear next step you can act on, whether that’s with us or on your own.
“How are my RSUs, ESPP, and stock options taxed?”
“I have equity comp and I don't know how it's taxed, can you explain?”
“My RSUs, ESPP, and stock options confuse me for taxes, what does this mean?”
“How is my mix of equity compensation taxed on my return?”
“My RSUs vested and my paycheck looks off, did I already pay the tax?”
“My stock options vested and my paycheck looks off, did I already pay the tax?”
This page is a prompt to start a conversation, not tax or legal advice, and states no tax-law specifics as fact. A consult session does not by itself create an ongoing engagement. We do not promise specific outcomes or savings. Kohari Gonzalez Oneyear & Brown PLLC — Charlotte, NC.
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