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Estimate vest tax

What to save and verify after an RSU vest

Once shares vest, save your statements and confirm wage reporting matches what you expected before filing season.

Rates and rules change. Check the tax year and last-reviewed date on each page, then confirm against IRS or state guidance before you file.

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After a , save the confirmation and broker statements, and check that the wage income and look right. The you record now is the you will likely need at tax time to avoid being taxed twice.

Why this happens

income shows up on your later, but the per-share price is easiest to capture now from your equity platform.

Brokers often report $0 or missing basis on sales, so your own records become the proof you need to adjust basis.

Catching a shortfall early gives you time to adjust before the next or before filing.

What to check

  • confirmation, shares vested, shares sold for tax, net shares, and per share.
  • Pay stub, the added wages and the tax withheld around the .
  • Brokerage account, that the net shares arrived and at what recorded basis.
  • A running file of per lot for future sales.
  • Whether the created a gap you should cover with estimates.

Common mistake

Not recording the . When you later sell, your may show $0 basis. Without your own record, it is hard to prove the income was already taxed at , which is exactly where people accidentally think they were taxed twice.

Example scenario (hypothetical)

Illustration only, not your tax situation.

Example: Casey vests 120 shares at $45 and saves the confirmation showing $45 per share. Two years later Casey sells at $52. Because Casey kept the $45 basis record, the sale is reported as roughly $7 per share of gain, not the full $52 as if it had never been taxed.

When to get help from a tax pro

  • Your wages do not seem to include the income.
  • You received corrected tax forms after a .
  • You sold shares across multiple lots and basis is unclear.
  • You had vests in more than one state during the year.

Related calculators

Related pages

For learning, not filing

Grants, employers, and states all differ. Use your own documents and a qualified tax professional before you make decisions from this guide.