You are leaving your company, switching brokers, or cleaning up ahead of tax season. You need vest history, tax summaries, and grant detail while your equity portal login still works — and you want to know which exports matter for W-2 reconciliation and 1099-B basis years later.
Start here
What you need before using this
- Active equity portal login (E*Trade, Schwab Equity Awards, Fidelity, Shareworks, etc.).
- List of dates and sales for the years you may still file or amend.
- Personal cloud or offline storage for PDFs.
- Broker account number if shares already transferred.
- Employer notice on portal access end date after termination.
Portal menus differ by vendor and employer. File names vary; content should include vest FMV and dates.
Why this happens
Equity portals host employer-controlled records. Access often ends 30–90 days after termination, sometimes sooner.
confirmations in the portal are the primary source when brokers report incomplete basis.
Annual tax summaries from portals help reconcile Box 1 to totals but are not IRS forms.
Grant agreements and schedules explain forfeiture — not dollar tax amounts — but support timeline questions.
and open-market sale history in the portal ties to future reconciliation.
Export formats vary: PDF notices, CSV transaction logs, tax workbook downloads.
Screenshots are better than nothing but PDF downloads with dates in filenames archive better.
Two-factor authentication — save backup codes before losing corporate email used for portal login.
Transferred shares to personal brokerage may have new lot detail — export before transfer if possible.
Performance certification letters may be separate downloads from time-based vests.
International employees may have multiple currency reports — save the version your uses.
HRIS integrations sometimes lag — portal is often the same source payroll used for .
Year-end portal tax packets may publish in January while login still works for recent alumni.
Shareworks, Solium, and Morgan Stanley at Work use different menu paths — look for Tax Documents or Statements.
After access ends, former employers may provide records on request but response times vary.
What to check
- Every confirmation PDF for years you still hold shares from.
- Portal annual tax summary vs when issued.
- Transaction log including trades.
- Grant agreement PDF and schedule.
- Export includes per share and per lot.
- Download before last day of portal access email deadline.
- Copy files to personal storage not tied to work laptop alone.
- Broker after transfer — may still need portal to fix.
Relying on the broker alone after leaving the company
What to check in your documents
- All confirmation PDFs.
- Portal tax summary for each calendar year.
- Grant agreement and schedule export.
- trade confirms from portal.
- and when issued for cross-check.
Last day portal access with open RSU lots
Illustration only, not your tax situation.
Questions people ask
- What should I download from the equity portal?
- confirmations with , annual tax summaries, grant agreements, and transaction history including .
- When does portal access end after I leave?
- Varies by employer — read termination or equity admin email. Often 30–90 days. Export early.
- Is portal tax summary the same as W-2?
- No. is the official wage form. Portal summaries help reconcile to confirmations.
- CSV vs PDF — which is better?
- PDF confirmations are standard for basis records. CSV helps if you track many lots in a spreadsheet.
- Shares already at Schwab — still need portal?
- Yes for history if broker basis is wrong or lots predate transfer.
- Can HR resend vest records later?
- Sometimes on request. Self-service export while access works is faster.
- Portal export for ISO or ESPP?
- Also save exercise confirms and Form 3921/3922-related portal reports — separate from but same access deadline.
- Lost portal access — now what?
- Contact former employer equity admin or payroll with dates. Prior downloads and may be only records left.
- Does export help amended returns?
- Yes. PDFs support W-2c and Form 8949 amendments years later.
- Which site guides connect to portal records?
- confirmation explained, documents checklist, adjustment, and leaving company role guide.
When to get help from a tax pro
- Portal disagrees with and payroll will not reconcile.
- Multiple portals after acquisition spinoffs.
- Foreign subsidiary grants with separate login.
- Cannot obtain records after access ended and sale is imminent.
Related calculators
- RSU Cost Basis Calculator
Cost basis on sold RSUs usually ties back to vest FMV already taxed as wages — this tool helps you model that link.
- 1099-B RSU Adjustment Helper
Structured helper for RSU 1099-B problems — zero basis, duplicate wage reporting, and supplemental plan lot details.
- RSU Tax Calculator
Model federal and state taxes on your RSU vest, compare withholding to estimated tax, and see what you may keep.
Related pages
- How to Read an RSU Vest Confirmation
Vest confirmation FMV is your wage income and future sale basis — save the PDF even when net shares look smaller after withholding.
- RSU Tax Documents Checklist: What to Save Before You File
Collect documents as vests happen so filing season is paperwork, not archaeology.
- Equity Compensation Tax Documents
How equity compensation shows up on W-2, 1099-B, Form 3921, and plan confirmations — and how to reconcile them before filing.
- RSU Tax Guide for Employees Leaving a Company
Job changes stop new vesting, but past vests still need correct reporting — and options may expire soon.
- RSU Supplemental Stock Plan Lot Detail Explained
Supplemental lot detail reports often hold the vest price you need when 1099-B basis is wrong.
Sources and notes
Primary tax claims on this page are supported by the official and secondary sources below. Broker and software links describe reporting mechanics — confirm rules against IRS or state guidance.
Employer equity portal exports for vest FMV and tax reconciliation records.
- IRS Publication 525 — Taxable and Nontaxable Income
Internal Revenue Service · Official
Covers compensation income from stock-based pay, including restricted property under section 83.
- Filing taxes for restricted stock, RSUs, or performance awards (tax guide PDF)
Fidelity Stock Plan Services · Brokerage explainer
Explains W-2 vest income, 1099-B with $0 basis, supplemental adjusted cost basis, and Form 8949 reporting.
- Equity Compensation — RSU taxation at vest and on sale
Charles Schwab (Workplace Financial Services) · Brokerage explainer
Plain-language explainer: RSU value at vest on W-2, FICA, withholding may not cover full tax, separate capital gains on sale.
For learning, not filing
VestingTax.com is not a CPA firm or tax preparer. Grants, employers, and states all differ. Use the cited IRS and state sources above, your own documents, and a qualified tax professional before you make decisions from this guide.