The income tax rules for an exercise of non-qualified stock options are relatively straightforward.
You generally do not owe taxes when you are granted non-qualified stock options. You don’t owe when your non-qualified stock options vest, either. This no-tax timeframe allows you to defer income tax while potentially creating considerable wealth if the value of your shares increases.
Exercising your non-qualified stock options is what creates a taxable event. But because you control when you exercise your options, you can manage your income tax by deciding when and how many shares to exercise. You also control how well you plan for that taxable event when you create it by exercising.
Two Taxes to Consider for your Non-Qualified Stock Options
The lifespan of your options includes the period beginning when your shares are granted and ending when you sell the stock. During this time, you need to consider two different types of tax you may need to pay:
- Earned Income Tax: Earned income is taxed as ordinary income and is subject to Social Security and Medicare wage taxes.
- Capital Gains Tax: Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income (for short term capital gains) or as long-term capital gains, depending on the holding period of the stock.
The amount of gain subject to earned income tax and the amount subject to capital gains depends on several factors. Some of these include the exercise price of the non-qualified stock option, the fair market value when you exercise, how many shares you exercise, and how long you have held the stock.
How You’re Taxed When You Exercise your Non-Qualified Stock Options
When you exercise your non-qualified stock options, the value of the bargain element will be treated as earned income that is reported on your tax return the same way as your regular earned income.
The bargain element is calculated as the difference between the grant price of the employee stock option and the exercise price of the stock option, multiplied by the number of shares. For example:
Number of Options |
Grant Price | Exercise Price | Bargain Element |
2,000 | $10.00/sh | $50.00/sh |
$80,000 |
If you exercise 2,000 non-qualified stock options with an exercise price of $10 per share when the value is $50.00 per share, you have a bargain element of $40 per share. $40 per share multiplied by 2,000 shares equals $80,000 of reportable compensation income for the year of the exercise.
The Cost Basis of Your Non-Qualified Stock Options
When you exercise your non-qualified stock options, you should pay attention to the price at which you exercised. This price will dictate the cost basis of the shares moving forward. The cost basis is necessary because it is used to calculate capital gain/loss upon a subsequent sale of the exercised stock.
The cost basis is equal to the exercise price, multiplied by the number of shares exercised. In our example above, the cost basis is equal to 2,000 shares times $50/share, or $100,000.
Taxation Upon Final Sale of Non-Qualified Stock Options
When you exercise your non-qualified stock options, you go from having a right to shares of company stock to being an owner of company stock. As an owner of the stock, you can sell your shares immediately or hold them indefinitely, subject to other rules or regulations such as blackout periods. You may want to consider how concentrated equity fits into your financial plan before you make that move.
The period for which you retain ownership, and the value of the shares dictate how they will be taxed.
Stock shares are subject to capital asset tax rates. Short term capital assets (assets that are held for less than one year) are taxed as ordinary income and long term capital gains (assets that are held for one year or greater) are taxes at long term capital gains rates. Generally speaking, long term capital gains rates the preferred rates.
If we insert both the cost basis ($100,00) and the assumed tax rates for both a short-term capital gain (33%) and a long term capital gain (15%), we can calculate your after-tax values.
|
Cost Basis | Current Value |
Capital Gain |
Tax Due | After-Tax Value |
Short-Term |
$100,000 |
$150,000 | $50,000 | $16,500 |
$133,500 |
Long-Term (15%) |
$100,000 | $150,000 | $50,000 | $7,500 |
$142,500 |
In our example, the total tax paid for on a short-term capital gain is $16,500. But long term capital gain taxes are only $7,500. Long term capital gains offers a more favorable rate, considering it creates a tax bill that is over 50% lower.
(While this illustration indicates that long term capital gains rates are better than short term capital gains rates, it does not mean that you should always hold your stock for one year or more. Income tax is one of many factors that should impact your decision to keep or sell your shares).
Planning for Non-Qualified Stock Options
When you exercise your options, the spread between the grant price and the exercise price is taxed the same as compensation income subject to Medicare and Social Security tax. Any subsequent gain or loss from the date you exercise your options is taxed as a capital asset subject to capital asset rates.
The simplicity of income tax rules regarding non qualified stock options does not mean there isn’t room for good non qualified stock option planning. You will face a big decision when you exercise your options and need to pay the pending tax. The decision will be to do a cash exercise or a cashless exercise of your NSOs.
Advanced planning for non-qualified stock options may also mean exercising in calendar years when you are also exercising or selling incentive stock options as a means to increase or decrease the alternative minimum tax. Or you might exercise your options early, transitioning what may otherwise be compensation income into long term capital gains (assuming a rising stock price).
Simple or complex, it’s important to know what the tax rules are for your stock options so you can begin your planning. Planning that should also consider when to exercise, how many to hold past exercise, and how this fits into your financial plan.
Tax services are not offered through, or supervised by Lincoln Investment, or Capital Analysts. The above figures are for illustrative purposes only and do not attempt to predict actual results of any particular investment.
None of the information in this document should be considered as tax advice. You should consult your tax advisor for information concerning your individual situation. Tax services are not offered through, or supervised by, The Lincoln Investment Companies.
Bouquet says
Daniel, this is an excellent article and clarifies so much for me. I do, however, have one question. The article states that “Upon exercise, the cost basis of the shares is set and is equal to the exercise price times the number of shares exercised. In our example above, the cost basis is equal to 2,000 shares times $50/share, or $80,000.” I get $100,000 when I do the math, not $80,000. Am I doing something wrong or misunderstanding? Please let me know. Thank you.
Daniel Zajac, CFP®, AIF®, CLU® says
Yes, good catch. It has been updated!
Bill says
Still says (7 paragraphs later)
“Continuing our example above, we have established a cost basis of $80,000 for the 2,000 shares of stock. ”
I assume should be a cost basis of $100,000.
Daniel Zajac, CFP®, AIF®, CLU® says
Updated!
John Olagues says
Daniel:
I believe that there are two issues that you should address, but haven’t. Those issues are:
1) Will the tax liability upon exercise of non qualified ESOs ever be deferred pursuant to IRC 83 c-3.
2) How does Section 16 (b) of the 1934 Act come into play, when executives have a choice to deliver shares or cash for the exercise price payment or taxes, when ESOs are exercised, and they decide to deliver shares.
Charlie Sundblom says
Are my options pre tax purchased (401K) or after tax purchased?
Daniel Zajac, CFP®, AIF®, CLU® says
Post tax dollars