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Making Sense of ISOs, NSOs, and RSUs

2 AFSP, EA, CFP®, CPA, CRTP

Track:

Mid-career and beyond

This session distills the tax rules for equity compensation. We clarify stock options such as incentive stock options (ISOs) and nonqualified stock options (NSOs), restricted stock units (RSUs), restricted stock with an §83(b) election and employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs). You'll learn how exercises and sales affect income, payroll, basis and the alternative minimum tax (AMT). Additionally, we will cover how to determine qualifying vs. disqualifying dispositions so Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, Form 392, Exercise of an Incentive Stock Option Under Section 422(b), Form 3922, Transfer of Stock Acquired Through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan Under Section 423(c), and Form 1099-B, Proceeds from Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions, tie to Form 8949, Sales and Other Dispositions of Capital Assets, and Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, you will be able to:

● Distinguish the tax treatment of ISOs versus NSOs, including timing of income, payroll withholding and

qualifying versus disqualifying dispositions

● Compute regular-tax and AMT outcomes for ISOs exercises by measuring the bargain element,

establishing AMT basis and modeling AMT credit carryforwards

● Analyze and reconcile equity-compensation and trading records by tying Form W-2, Form 3921, Form

3922, and Form 1099-B to Form 8949 and Schedule D

CPE information

Duration: 100 minutes

Course level: Intermediate

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of individual income taxation

Advanced preparation: None

Delivery method: Group Internet-Based



CPE credits
Designation
Field of study
IRS

2

AFSP

Federal Tax Law Update

IRS

2

EA

Federal Tax Law Update

NASBA

2

CPA

Taxes

CTEC

2

CRTP

Federal Tax Law Update

CFP Board

2

CFP®

n/a


Instructor(s)

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Kelly Lent-Paul, CFP®, EA, MBA

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