Turn equity into lasting wealth.
For professionals whose net worth is tied up in company stock
Equity is now a core part of pay at most tech and growth companies. We help you turn RSUs, options, and ESPP shares into diversified, tax-efficient wealth, instead of a concentrated bet and a surprise tax bill.
When a large share of your net worth sits in one company's stock, two questions decide the outcome: how you manage the tax, and how you manage the risk. Our in-house CPAs and advisors model your equity year by year, RSU vesting, option exercises, 83(b) elections, and the alternative minimum tax that ISOs can trigger, so nothing catches you off guard in April. For executives and insiders, we design and administer 10b5-1 plans so you can sell on a pre-approved schedule inside restricted windows. And because your tax and investment decisions happen under one roof, your diversification plan and your tax plan finally pull in the same direction.
Not everyone searching for a financial advisor for stock options needs the same thing. Some are weighing whether to exercise NSOs before a liquidity event. Others are sitting on a large ISO grant and want to understand AMT exposure before they act. Still others received options as part of an executive package and have never had a clear plan for them. What those situations share is a need for an advisor who understands both the tax mechanics and the investment implications, and who can model them together before a decision is made. At Fiduciary Financial Group, our fee-only, fiduciary model means CPA advisors and wealth managers work from the same plan. No commissions, no product incentives. Just coordinated advice on your equity, your taxes, and your portfolio as a single set of decisions.
Equity compensation strategy.
A year-by-year plan for RSU vesting, option exercises, and ESPP so every decision fits the bigger picture.
Tax planning for RSUs, options, and ISOs.
AMT modeling, 83(b) elections, and multi-year projections that keep your tax bill from becoming a surprise.
10b5-1 plans for insiders.
Pre-approved selling schedules that let you diversify inside restricted trading windows, cleanly and compliantly.
RSUs vs. ISOs vs. NSOs: How the Tax Rules Compare
Last updated: September 2026
Each type of equity award has distinct tax mechanics, and the right strategy for exercising, holding, or selling depends on the specific award, your income level, and your broader financial goals. This table compares the three most common forms of equity compensation across the factors that matter most for planning.
| Feature | RSUs | ISOs | NSOs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax event timing | Vesting/settlement | Exercise (AMT) and sale | Exercise (ordinary income) and sale |
| Income type at tax event | Ordinary compensation income | AMT preference at exercise; long-term capital gain at a qualifying disposition | Ordinary compensation income at exercise |
| Holding period for long-term capital gains | More than 1 year from settlement | More than 2 years from grant and more than 1 year from exercise | More than 1 year from the exercise date |
| Reporting form | Form W-2 (vesting); Form 1099-B (sale) | Form 3921 (exercise); Form 1099-B (sale) | Form W-2 or 1099-NEC (exercise); Form 1099-B (sale) |
| AMT implications | None | Yes, the spread at exercise is an AMT preference item | None |
| Key planning consideration | Withholding is a prepayment of tax, not the final tax liability | Model AMT before exercising; qualifying disposition requirements are strict | Exercise timing and the hold decision interact with total income |
Seven ways to unlock concentrated stock.
When too much of your wealth sits in one stock, there is rarely a single right answer. We match the strategy, or the combination of strategies, to your cost basis, timeline, and estate goals.
Donor-advised funds and charitable remainder trusts. Give appreciated shares, skip the capital gains, and take the deduction today.
Hold with intent. Borrow against the position for liquidity, or hold for a step-up in basis, while we manage the single-stock risk.
Protective collars and covered calls. Put a floor under the position and earn income while you wait.
Aggressive tax-loss harvesting that generates losses to offset the gains from selling down your position.
Section 721 partnerships let you swap concentrated stock for a slice of a diversified fund, with no sale and no tax at the door.
A direct-indexing account harvests losses lot by lot, building a tax budget you spend unwinding the position.
A pre-set 10b5-1 schedule that unwinds the position methodically and takes the emotion out of the decision.
Keep it simple. Tranche selling or covered calls are often all you need. Don't over-engineer it.
Layering starts to pay off. Exchange funds, custom indexing, and options begin to make a real difference.
A coordinated plan is essential. Charitable structures, 10b5-1 plans, and tax-loss harvesting can work together to save millions.
Most strong plans combine two, three, or even four of these approaches, each doing a specific job. Your cost basis, liquidity needs, and estate goals decide the mix.
To discuss your investments & wealth management requirements, or to learn about our services.
Equity compensation, handled end to end.
The people modeling your AMT are the same people managing your portfolio. That is how equity plans actually come together.
- Forward-looking projections for RSUs, options, ISOs, and AMT
- Concentrated-stock strategies to diversify without a needless tax hit
- 10b5-1 plans that keep insiders compliant while they sell
What is the difference between RSUs, ISOs, and NSOs?
RSUs are taxed as ordinary income when they vest and settle, with no exercise decision involved. ISOs and NSOs are options that must be exercised before the holder owns shares. ISOs may qualify for long-term capital gains treatment but can trigger the alternative minimum tax at exercise, while NSOs create ordinary income at exercise with no AMT exposure.
Do RSUs trigger the alternative minimum tax?
No. RSUs do not have AMT implications. The fair market value of RSU shares is taxed as ordinary income at vesting and settlement, and the AMT preference item that applies to ISOs does not apply to RSUs or NSOs.
What holding period is required for favorable tax treatment on ISOs?
A qualifying disposition of ISO shares requires holding them for more than two years from the grant date and more than one year from the exercise date. If both conditions are met, the gain may be treated as a long-term capital gain rather than ordinary income.
Why does RSU withholding sometimes fall short of the taxes owed?
Employers often withhold RSU vesting income at a flat 22% federal rate for supplemental wages, which can be lower than an employee's actual marginal tax rate. Withholding is a prepayment toward the annual tax liability, not the final amount owed, so a balance can be due at tax time.