Restricted Stock 101: Five Essentials Of Restricted Stock & RSUs
By Matt Simon

NEW! While restricted stock and RSUs are relatively straightforward, they have technical aspects you must understand to make the most of them. Learn the essential facts of restricted stock and RSUs, including basic concepts, vesting schedules, and tax treatment.

• How To Avoid The Most Common Stock Option Mistakes (Part 1)
• Six ESPP Essentials (Part 1): Enrollment, Plan Type, Purchase Timing

Restricted Stock Units Made Simple (Part 1): Understanding The Core Concepts
By Matt Simon

Restricted stock units (RSUs) have become the most popular alternative to stock options. While RSUs share many of the same issues as restricted stock, there are differences, and it is important to understand the basics of RSUs in their own right.

• Restricted Stock & RSUs: What You Must Know To Avoid Tax Return Mistakes In 2012
• Performance Shares: The Basics (Part 1)
• Restricted Stock: Tax, Financial, Estate, And Retirement Planning (Part 1)

Ten Financial-Planning Rules Everyone With Stock Options Needs To Know
By Michael Beriss

Managing your stock options is one of the most complex financial challenges you will face. These 10 rules will help you get the most out of them.

• A Holistic Approach To Managing Equity Compensation
• How Tax Rate Changes Impact Your Stock Grant Strategies (Part 1): Nonqualified Stock Options
• How Tax Rate Changes Impact Your Stock Grant Strategies (Part 2): Restricted Stock

Six ESPP Essentials (Part 1): Enrollment, Plan Type, Purchase Timing
By Matt Simon

Your company's employee stock purchase plan (ESPP) can be a strong financial benefit. However, the rules and taxation can be tricky. This two-part article presents six topics you must be familiar with to get the most from your ESPP participation. Part 1 covers enrollment, plan types, and offering/purchase periods.

• Fundamentals Of Employee Stock Purchase Plans (Part 1): Basic Structure And Terms
• IRS Form 3922 For ESPPs: What You Need To Know, And How It Can Help You Understand ESPP Taxation

Retirement Planning With Your Stock Options And Other Stock Compensation (Part 1: Pre-Retirement Planning)
By Carol Cantrell

Stock compensation is important for retirement planning. Understand the issues and explore strategies, whether you are planning for retirement, are nearing retirement, or have retired already.

• I'm Getting Divorced: What Happens To My Stock Options? (Part 1)
• Funding Your Child's College Education With Stock Options And Other Stock Grants (Part 1)

Stock Option Fundamentals (Part 5): Incentive Stock Option Taxation & Alternative Minimum Tax
By Marilyn Renninger

Learn how and when income from ISOs is subject to taxes, including the alternative minimum tax. You must consider taxes at both exercise and sale to put together an optimal strategy.

• The ISO Tax Trap And The AMT Credit Myth: What To Do Before Exercise And At Year-End
• Dr. Strange Tax, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The AMT

How To Use Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plans To Sell Company Stock (Part 1)
By Darryl Rains and Sunil Kulkarni

When you receive a significant portion of your compensation in equity awards, concerns about diversification and cash flow may prompt you to sell company stock regularly. Yet SEC rules, insider-trading policies at your company, and fears of insider-trading allegations can keep you from selling your shares. Rule 10b5-1 trading plans are an ideal solution, as long as they are properly drafted and implemented.

• Hedging Your Employee Stock Options (Part 1)
• Taking An Overseas Assignment: Stock Compensation For Mobile Employees (Part 1)

My Company's Being Acquired: What Happens To My Stock Options? (Part 1)
By Richard Lintermans

The terms of your option grants, the terms of the M&A deal, and the valuation of your company's stock all affect the treatment of stock options in M&A. What happens to your unvested options is the main focus of concern.

• My Company's Being Acquired: What Happens To My Stock Options? (Part 2)