RSUs, ESPP & Stock Options
“How is my mix of equity compensation taxed on my return?”
Equity compensation is often taxed differently depending on the type of award, the timing of vesting or exercise, and whether any shares were sold right away or held longer. For RSUs, the value at vesting often shows up as ordinary income, while ESPP shares and stock options can create a mix of wage income, capital gain, or adjustment items depending on the plan design and transaction history. The return treatment also depends on brokerage reporting, employer withholding, and whether any shares were sold in the same year they were acquired. A targeted review with a CPA can turn the uncertainty into a clear next step.
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.
“What's the tax side of my RSUs, ESPP, and stock options?”
“How do taxes work for the equity compensation I have?”
“How are my RSUs, ESPP, and stock options taxed?”
“What tax rules apply to my RSUs, ESPP, and stock options?”
“My RSUs vested and my paycheck looks off, did I already pay the tax?”
“My ESPP shares 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.
Back to the full library