How this calculator works
Your grant vests in equal parts each year of the vesting period. Each tranche is valued at the expected share price that year and taxed as ordinary income at your rate when it vests. Gains or losses after vesting are capital gains.
Worked example
With the example values below: Total value at vesting, $145,998 ($99,279 after tax). Change any number above to run your own.
What you enter
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Total RSUs granted | 1,000 |
| Current share price | $120 |
| Vesting period | 4 yrs |
| One-year cliff? | Yes |
| Expected share price growth / yr | 8% |
| Tax rate on vestingFederal supplemental 22% plus state and FICA | 32% |
Frequently asked questions
What is an RSU?
A restricted stock unit is a promise from your employer to give you company shares once you meet a vesting condition, usually staying for a set time. You pay nothing for them, and they become ordinary shares when they vest.
How are RSUs taxed?
The market value of the shares on the day they vest is taxed as ordinary income, like salary. Employers usually withhold federal tax at the 22% supplemental rate (37% on supplemental pay over $1 million), which can be less than you owe. When you later sell, any change in price since vesting is a capital gain or loss, long-term if you held the shares more than a year.
What happens to unvested RSUs if I leave my job?
They're usually forfeited. Shares that have already vested are yours to keep. Some companies accelerate vesting on a layoff, acquisition or retirement, so check your grant agreement.
Grow what this calculator projects.
TruthSayer AI sends quantitative stock signals across valuations, earnings and dark-pool activity, each one traded in its own funded account first.
Estimates for planning only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Tax tools use 2026 federal figures (brackets, $16,100 / $32,200 standard deduction, $19,000 gift exclusion, $15M lifetime exemption). Rates shown as defaults are examples; replace them with quotes you actually receive.