PerkyBanana
PerkyBanana

ESOPs taxation

I’ve not exercised my ESOPs from my previous employer. I am waiting for the company to go public. I quit the company in 2021. What will my tax be if I exercise and sell my stocks at the time of IPO? How much tax can I save if I buy a property?

9mo ago
Find out if you are being paid fairly.Download Grapevine
SillyCoconut
SillyCoconut

You will have two taxation points . When you exercise you will be taxed under the heads salary . This is based on your tax bracket after considering the difference between your exercise price and market value date of exercise. This will be added to your income as salary . Then depending upon the time you have held it you will be taxed under short term or long term capital gains when you sell it.

PerkyBanana
PerkyBanana

How can I get salary from ex-employer? I am technically no longer with the company so as per the income tax law, we no longer have N employee employer relationship

SillyCoconut
SillyCoconut

It’s a fair question . But tax laws work differently. Look at it like this. You get your f&f after a month or something two after you leave your job. This is not exactly similar but works like this. This benefit was conferred to you as an employee by your employer. So it is taxed as a salary from employer just received on a later date .

PerkyBanana
PerkyBanana

Will I necessarily have to pay tax on exercising it? The long term or short term capital gains tax will only take care of selling price - exercise price which would be the same in my case I believe

SillyCoconut
SillyCoconut

To answer this question - yes . Tax is due in the day you exercise and not when you sell it. So make sure never to exercise unless you have a liquidity event in sight

PerkyBanana
PerkyBanana

Thanks!

Discover more
Curated from across