Common Tax Pitfalls to Avoid When Managing Your Equity

When it comes to your equity, every decision, whether it’s to do something with your shares, or to do nothing at all, comes with a tax consequence. But sometimes, the consequences of that action or inaction, are less obvious, until it’s a year later, the tax bill is due, and you have no idea how you ended up in this mess.

And while paying more taxes is simply a function of making more money, there is obviously something to be said for being proactive and doing your best to mitigate that tax bill, no matter how inevitable it may seem.   

In this episode, Malcolm Ethridge is joined by Daniel Hodgin, founder and CEO at Silicon Valley Tax Group, to discuss common tax traps and pitfalls to avoid when managing your equity compensation. Together, Malcolm and Dan break down the nuances of RSUs, ESPPs, and ISOs, and share some of their own rules of thumb for anyone who receives equity as a part of their total compensation each year. 

Dan Hodgin discusses: 

  • Keeping track of your cost basis to avoid reporting mistakes 
  • The importance of keeping ESPP shares with your company’s broker
  • Critical factors to consider when acting on your stock options
  • How to navigate exercising your ISOs without exceeding the AMT crossover point
  • And more

Related: The Potential Long Term Impact of Equity Negotiations