Continued: Restricted Stock Basics

How is restricted stock taxed?

When restricted stock is granted in exchange for some kind of past or future services (which is almost always the case), the United States Internal Revenue Services considers the fair market value of the stock (less any amounts paid for the stock, which is usually zero) taxable compensation.  (If the recipient is located in another country, this entire discussion may not be applicable and you should get local tax and securities advice before making an award.)  And because restricted stock is almost always subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” (subject to vesting, that is), the recipient may elect, within 30 days of grant, to make a “section 83(b) election” with the IRS. More on section 83(b) in a moment. And of course, as with any equity compensation, Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code may be implicated.

If the recipient accepts the award and does nothing else, at grant there is no taxable event for the recipient or the company.  But when part of the award vests, the recipient pays ordinary income tax, and company receives deduction, on the fair market value of the vested portion, valued on the vesting date (not the grant date). So if the value of the company and the shares rises between the grant date and the vesting date, the taxes will also go up.  And just because a restricted stock award vests does not mean the stockholder will have cash to pay the taxes – if the company is not publicly traded, the stockholder probably won’t have liquidity and will have to find another way to satisfy the tax man.  This can be a terrible surprise for people who don’t understand the tax rules and don’t plan ahead.


If the recipient instead makes a section 83(b) election, which must be sent to the IRS within 30 days of the grant date, he can pay ordinary income tax (and the company would receive a corresponding deduction) on the fair market value of the entire award on the date of the award – that is, in the current tax year.  Someone would make this election if the current value of the company is low enough that the value of the award and the resulting taxes are small and manageable, and especially if he expects the value of the company to climb (and which investor or start-up employee doesn’t?).  But if the shares never vest – such as when an employee quits before vesting and the company elects to take back the shares – there is no refund of those taxes paid.  A section 83(b) election is a wager that the value of the shares will grow sufficiently to outweigh the risk of paying taxes on shares that never vest.  

Section 83(b) elections are attractive when the company is young and valuations are still low.  Making an 83(b) election also begins the holding period for capital gains treatment, which is another primary benefit of this approach.  Without an 83(b) election, the holding period for capital gains treatment doesn’t begin until the shares vest.  

When the company is mature and its prospects for appreciation are less dramatic, as with most public companies, a section 83(b) election might not make sense.  In between …well, that’s what you have financial advisors and accountants for.




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© 2013 by Robert G. Schwartz, Jr. All rights reserved 
Disclaimer: This summary is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Any specific questions about these topics should be directed to an attorney.

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