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Estimate vest tax

Should I sell my RSUs the moment they vest?

Selling right after vest is a personal finance choice. tax at vest usually already happened; the sale may mostly affect capital gain or loss.

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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For most standard , the tax bill at is already locked in whether you sell or hold. Selling immediately mainly decides how much company stock you keep and how much market risk you take, it does not change the wage income that already hit at . Holding only adds a possible or loss later.

Why this happens

Standard are taxed as wages at , based on the share price that day. That income is the same whether you sell at or hold.

Once shares are yours, they behave like any stock you bought at the price. Selling right away usually means little or no gain, because the sale price is close to the price.

If you hold, any later price change becomes a separate or loss when you eventually sell.

So the 'sell now or hold' question is mostly about concentration risk and your personal finances, not about avoiding the tax.

What to check

  • Your confirmation, how many net shares you actually received after any .
  • How much of your total net worth is already tied to your employer's stock.
  • Company trading windows or blackout periods that may limit when you can sell.
  • Whether you have a 10b5-1 plan or insider-trading restrictions.
  • Your (usually ) so a later sale is reported correctly.

Common mistake

Holding shares to 'avoid taxes.' The tax already happened. Holding does not defer it, it just exposes you to your employer's stock price. Some people end up with a concentrated position and a tax bill, then watch the stock fall before they sell.

Example scenario (hypothetical)

Illustration only, not your tax situation.

Example: Dana vests 100 shares at $80 ($8,000 of wage income). If Dana sells the same day near $80, the is roughly zero. If Dana holds and sells a year later at $70, Dana still paid wage tax on $8,000 and now has a capital loss of about $1,000, the holding decision changed the investment outcome, not the original tax.

When to get help from a tax pro

  • A large share of your savings is concentrated in one company's stock.
  • You are subject to insider-trading rules or blackout windows.
  • You are weighing a charitable gift of appreciated shares.
  • You want to coordinate selling with other large income in the same 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.