Equity Compensation

Learn about equity compensation, how each equity type works, and how your equity can help support your financial goals.

Understanding your equity

Restricted Stock

RSUs and RSAs Explained

Information about restricted stock units (RSUs) and awards (RSAs), including what they are, how they're taxed, and how to sell your shares.

January 10, 2025

ESPPs

Understanding ESPPs

Learn about Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPPs), including how to enroll and participate, and tax implications.

January 10, 2025

Stock Options

Stock Options: NQSOs & ISOs

Information about stock options, including NQSOs and ISOs, what they are, how they're taxed, and how to sell your shares.

July 16, 2024

Performance Stock

Performance Stock: PSUs & PSAs

Learn about performance stock units (PSUs) and performance stock awards (PSAs), including how to enroll and how they may impact your taxes.

January 10, 2025

SARs

SARs

Learn about stock appreciation rights (SARs), including how they work, how to participate, and how they may impact your taxes.

February 07, 2024

IPOs

8 Things to Know about IPOs

What is an IPO? How does it work? If you have equity compensation, how will you be impacted? Learn what to expect during an initial public offering.

February 07, 2024

Exploring the basics of equity compensation

Equity Compensation

Equity Awards: Financial Plans

To maximize the value of your equity, you need to understand basic components of your award like the equity type you have, how it's taxed, and how it fits into your financial plan.

February 19, 2025 • Chris Kawashima

Stock Options

How ISOs Are Taxed

Incentive Stock Option (ISO) taxes can be complex to navigate. This ISO tax guide explains the basics of how ISOs are taxed and what documents are needed to file in the U.S.

January 21, 2025

Stock Options

NQSOs Tax Guide

Non-qualified Stock Option (NQSO) taxes can be complex to navigate. This NQSO tax overview helps you understand how your NQSOs are taxed and what documents you'll need to file in the U.S.

January 16, 2025

Equity Compensation

Equity Awards in a Down Market

Some equity compensation plans have protections built in to help you weather market downturns. If you're concerned about market volatility, here are a few strategies to consider.

January 10, 2025

ESPPs

Understanding ESPPs

Learn about Employee Stock Purchase Plans (ESPPs), including how to enroll and participate, and tax implications.

January 10, 2025

Equity compensation taxes and tax planning

Stock Options

How ISOs Are Taxed

Incentive Stock Option (ISO) taxes can be complex to navigate. This ISO tax guide explains the basics of how ISOs are taxed and what documents are needed to file in the U.S.

January 21, 2025 • Chris Kawashima • Hayden Adams

Stock Options

NQSOs Tax Guide

Non-qualified Stock Option (NQSO) taxes can be complex to navigate. This NQSO tax overview helps you understand how your NQSOs are taxed and what documents you'll need to file in the U.S.

January 16, 2025

Equity Compensation

How Are RSAs Taxed?

Restricted stock awards are typically taxed using their value on the vest date, but you can opt to use the value on the grant date with a Section 83(b) election instead.

January 07, 2025

Restricted Stock

How RSUs and PSUs are Taxed

Restricted stock and performance stock taxes can be complex. This article helps you understand how your award is taxed and what documents you'll need to file taxes in the U.S.

December 30, 2024

Putting your equity to work

How your equity can help you with your financial goals

Equity Compensation

I Want to Manage Debt

Learn how your equity compensation can help you pay off debt. We'll cover the differences in good and bad debt, tips on getting out of debt, and how to use credit cards wisely.

December 17, 2024

Equity Compensation

I Want to Buy a Home or Investment Property

Discover how your equity can help you pursue your homeownership dreams like buying a home or investment property. Learn home-buying tips, how to invest in a second home, and more.

December 20, 2024

Equity Compensation

I Want to Save for Education

Discover how you can use your equity compensation to save for education. Learn about the different types of education savings accounts and strategies to help you pay for education.

December 17, 2024

Equity Compensation

I Want to Get My Finances in Order

Explore how your equity compensation can help you build a solid financial foundation. We'll cover how your equity fits into your financial plan and saving and budgeting strategies.

December 17, 2024

Equity Compensation

I Want to Save for Retirement

Whether you're just beginning to save for retirement or have been saving for years, learn how your equity can play an important role in building up your retirement portfolio.

December 17, 2024

Equity Compensation

I Want to Use My Equity to Build Wealth

Explore how your equity compensation can play an important role in building wealth. Learn strategies to help you manage your equity and how to place your first stock trade.

December 17, 2024

The latest market insights

Sentiment's Message

Liz Ann Sonders, Kevin Gordon
May 12, 2025

Fed Holds Policy Rate Steady

Kathy Jones
May 07, 2025

Tariff Impacts & Negotiations

Jeffrey Kleintop
May 05, 2025

Strategies for managing your equity

Equity Compensation

Equity Awards in a Down Market

Some equity compensation plans have protections built in to help you weather market downturns. If you're concerned about market volatility, here are a few strategies to consider.

January 10, 2025

Equity Compensation

How to Avoid Overconcentration

Overconcentration in a single stock—even your company's stock—is risky. Learn about overconcentration, how to avoid it, and what to consider before selling stock.

January 10, 2025

Equity Compensation

Emotions & Money: 4 Biases

Psychological biases can have a strong influence on how we view and handle our money. We'll look at four biases that can impact how we manage our equity compensation.

March 01, 2024

Learn the fundamentals of investing

Stocks

Stock Sector Rotation

At certain points of the economic cycle, different sectors outperform. Learn more about how this may help you search for potential investment candidates.

May 13, 2025

ETFs

Building an All-ETF Portfolio

An index ETF-only portfolio can be a straightforward yet flexible investment solution. We discuss three different approaches to building one.

May 13, 2025

Cryptocurrency

What Are Meme Coins?

Meme coins are a type of cryptocurrency, but they're typically created out of novelty rather than an investment.

May 08, 2025

Cryptocurrency

What is Cryptocurrency?

Interest in cryptocurrencies has soared in recent years. Understandably, investors have questions—here are answers to some of the most common.

May 06, 2025

Margin

Basics of Margin Trading

Buying on margin can magnify your returns, but it can also increase your losses. Learn the basics, benefits, and risks of margin trading.

May 02, 2025

Order Types

Walk Limits on thinkorswim®

Schwab's Walk Limit® orders for options help automate the limit order process, increasing or decreasing the price at set intervals to potentially fill at a trader's ideal price.

April 22, 2025

Building a solid financial foundation

Behavioral Finance

Your Inner Scorekeeper

How do mental scorecards shape your financial decisions? Professor Daniel Stone joins to unpack how reference points can shape risk, reward, and regret.

May 12, 2025

Behavioral Finance

What is the Sunk Cost Fallacy?

The desire to get your money's worth can lead you in some potentially harmful directions.

May 12, 2025

Behavioral Finance

Hooked on Streaks

How can streaks be both motivating and demotivating?

May 05, 2025

Behavioral Finance

Did May Day Reshape Investing?

Mark Riepe explores the history of how investing has become more accessible, from key milestones like May Day to the various factors that have shaped who could participate through the last century.

May 05, 2025

Financial Planning

Prepare for Natural Disasters

Natural disasters happen. Schwab Senior Financial Planner Dan Stanush experienced one firsthand and shares how to prepare your finances in case it happens to you.

May 05, 2025

Debt Management

How to Use Credit Wisely

While some types of credit can help increase net worth, others may be bad for you. Debt itself shouldn't be your only focus. The decision to borrow money matters just as much.

May 01, 2025

Schwab original podcasts

Behavioral Finance

Your Inner Scorekeeper

Markets and Economy

Inflation or Unemployment?

Government Policy

Bond Market Speaks Loudest

Behavioral Finance

Did May Day Reshape Investing?

View more

Explore more topics

Taxes Financial Planning ESPPs IPOs Performance Stock Restricted Stock SARs Stock Options Equity Compensation

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.

All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed.

Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.

Equity and index options carry a high level of risk and are not suitable for all investors. Certain requirements must be met to trade options through Schwab. Please read the Options Disclosure Document titled "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options" before considering any option transaction. Supporting documentation for any claims or statistical information is available upon request.

Investing involves risk, including, for some products, more than your initial investment.

Hedging and protective strategies generally involve additional costs and do not assure a profit or guarantee against loss.

With long options, investors may lose 100% of funds invested.

Spread trading must be done in a margin account.

Multiple leg options strategies will involve multiple transaction costs. 

Covered calls provide downside protection only to the extent of premiums received, and prevent any profitability above the strike price of the call.

Futures, and Futures options trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for all investors. Please read the Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options prior to trading futures products.

Forex trading involves leverage, carries a substantial level of risk, and is not suitable for all investors. Please read the Risk Disclosure for Forex: https://www.schwab.com/resource/forex-risk-disclosure-statement.

Futures and forex accounts are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Forex accounts do not receive a preference in any bankruptcy proceeding pursuant to Part 190 of the CFTC's regulations. 

Read additional CFTC and NFA futures and forex public disclosures for Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC.

Futures, futures options, and forex trading services provided by Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC. Trading privileges subject to review and approval. Not all clients will qualify. Forex accounts are not available to residents of Ohio or Arizona. 

Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC., is a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant and NFA Forex Dealer Member.

Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC (NFA Member) and Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (Member SIPC) are separate but affiliated companies and subsidiaries of The Charles Schwab Corporation.This information provided here is for general informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal, or investment planning advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, you should consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, Financial Planner, or Investment Manager.

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