RSU Management14 min read
The complete RSU guide for Indians at US multinationals
Vesting, taxes, withholding, repatriation, reinvestment — the full RSU lifecycle for Indian residents at US-headquartered companies.
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RSU Management
Vesting schedules, withholding, double taxation relief, and reinvesting RSU proceeds smartly.
Pillar guides to start with
The three guides we’d hand a friend first.
RSU Management10 min read
Should you sell RSUs at vest or hold? Framework for Indians
Sell RSUs at vest, or hold for upside? The right answer depends on concentration, tax timing, and what you'll do with the cash.
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RSU Management12 min read
ESPP vs RSU for Indians: how to think about both
RSUs are awarded; ESPPs are bought at a discount. Most Indians underuse ESPP. The full picture, with worked tax math for Indian residents.
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Calculators for this topic
- RSU take-home calculator →Estimate INR take-home after perquisite tax, surcharge, and cess on a vesting RSU tranche.
- ESPP ROI calculator →Calculate your ESPP return after the 15% discount, lookback, and Indian perquisite tax.
- Stock options (NSO/ISO) calculator →Cash needed to exercise + Indian perquisite tax on the spread, plus net shares retained.
- RSU concentration tracker →Project your single-stock concentration over time as RSUs vest and accumulate.
- Sell-to-cover simulator →Project net shares retained after sell-to-cover for a vest, with subsequent stock-move scenarios.
Latest posts
- ·12 min read
RSU tax for NRI: what Indian tax do you actually owe?
NRIs working abroad generally owe zero Indian tax on US RSUs. Here is the Section 5 rule, Schedule FA disclosure, RNOR transition, and when Indian tax actually applies.
- ·18 min read
The RSU tax-saving playbook for US employees: harvesting, donor-advised funds, NUA and the 83(b) myth
The legitimate tax-saving plays for US employees with RSUs: tax-loss harvesting around the wash-sale rule, donating appreciated shares via a donor-advised fund, NUA on 401(k) company stock, tax-gain harvesting, and why 83(b) doesn't apply to RSUs.
- ·20 min read
What to do with vested RSUs: the diversification playbook for US employees
Vested RSUs leave you over-concentrated in one stock that also signs your paycheck. The diversification playbook: sell-at-vest math, completion portfolios, direct indexing, exchange funds, and 10b5-1 plans.
- ·13 min read
How to reduce RSU tax in India: five levers that actually work
The five tax-reduction levers for Indian RSU holders: LTCG timing, lot selection, loss harvesting, Form 67 credit, and Section 54F. With INR worked examples.
- ·22 min read
What is an RSU? Restricted Stock Units — complete 2026 guide for Indian employees
A Restricted Stock Unit is an unfunded employer promise to deliver one share of company stock on a future vesting date — the canonical 2026 reference for Indian residents at US multinationals.
- ·17 min read
ITR-2 walkthrough for first-time RSU filers (AY 2026-27)
Step-by-step ITR-2 walkthrough for salaried Indians holding US RSUs in AY 2026-27 — schedules, due date, SBI TTBR conversions and a fully worked NVDA example.
- ·19 min read
Rule 10b5-1 plans: how employees and insiders sell company stock on a pre-set schedule
How US employees and insiders use Rule 10b5-1 plans to diversify on autopilot, sell through blackout windows, and earn an affirmative defense against insider-trading claims.
- ·14 min read
RSU taxation in India: the complete guide with worked examples
Two events, two tax codes, two ITR schedules. Exactly how RSUs are taxed in India at vest (Section 17) and at sale (Section 112) — with INR worked examples.
- ·17 min read
Exchange funds (swap funds) for a concentrated employer-stock position
How US employees use exchange funds (swap funds) to diversify a large, low-basis employer-stock position tax-deferred — the 7-year lock-up, fees, eligibility, and when an outright sale beats it.
- ·18 min read
How much employer stock is too much? A concentration-risk deep dive
How US employees size a company-stock position, why employer stock is uniquely risky, and a framework to set a concentration target you can defend.
- ·18 min read
The 83(b) election explained: RSAs, early exercise, and the 30-day bet
What the 83(b) election is, who can actually use it (not standard RSU holders), the 30-day IRS deadline, the worked math, and the bet you are making.
- ·11 min read
Rovia vs E*TRADE Stock Plan: a guide for Indian RSU holders
If your RSUs vest into E*TRADE Stock Plan Solutions (now part of Morgan Stanley), here's the honest comparison with Rovia and the migration guide.
- ·12 min read
Rovia vs Fidelity NetBenefits: a guide for Indian RSU holders
If your RSUs vest into Fidelity NetBenefits, here's the honest comparison with Rovia, the limitations Indian residents hit, and how to migrate shares.
- ·12 min read
Rovia vs Morgan Stanley at Work (Shareworks): a guide for Indian RSU holders
If your employer uses Morgan Stanley at Work to administer RSUs, here's the honest comparison with Rovia and a step-by-step migration guide for Indian residents.
- ·12 min read
Lot selection and loss harvesting: the RSU tax tools your CA isn't using
Indian RSU holders default to FIFO and miss thousands in tax savings. The lot-by-lot math, loss harvesting, and 8-year carry-forward, with worked examples.
- ·12 min read
The share-transfer problem: why Indian residents are stuck with their employer's broker
Indian residents holding US RSUs at Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, or E*TRADE can't move their shares to a better broker. Why the friction exists, and what's changing.
- ·4 min read
RSU vesting: the real tax math for Indian residents
Your RSU is worth ₹10 lakh on paper. After perquisite tax, US withholding, and capital gains — what actually lands in your account?
- ·12 min read
Sell-to-cover, sell-all or hold: the three RSU vest decisions
Every RSU vest forces a choice. Sell to cover tax only? Sell everything? Hold all the shares? Pick the right answer for your situation.
- ·13 min read
Form 67 & FTC: avoiding US dividend double taxation
Indian residents lose 5% per year of US dividends without Form 67. The complete filing walkthrough — what to enter, when, and the deadline trap.
- ·11 min read
Negotiating equity comp at US multinationals from India
RSU grants, refreshers, and sign-ons are all negotiable at US multinationals. The Indian-side playbook for getting paid better.
- ·10 min read
Holding-period rules for every asset class (India tax)
Indian shares: 12 months. US shares: 24 months. Each asset class has its own LTCG threshold. The complete reference table for Indian residents.
- ·10 min read
RSU cost basis tracking: the spreadsheet you actually need
When you sell an RSU lot in 3 years, you'll need INR cost basis per tranche. The spreadsheet structure that works, with worked examples.
- ·11 min read
Pre-IPO RSUs: the tax and liquidity problem for Indians
Pre-IPO RSUs trigger Indian tax at vest at the 409A FMV — but you can't sell. The cash-flow trap, double-trigger structures, and IPO planning.
- ·9 min read
RSUs when you change jobs or get laid off: what happens
Unvested RSUs disappear when you leave. Vested ones you keep — but the tax cycle continues. Every job-change scenario, explained for Indians.
- ·10 min read
ISO & NSO stock options at US companies: how Indians are taxed
ISOs and NSOs differ from RSUs: exercise price, three tax events not two. How Indian residents are taxed on each, with worked numbers.
- ·11 min read
US ↔ India employer transfer: the cross-border tax reset
Moving between US and India offices triggers a complex tax reset. RSU sourcing, RNOR window, dual-status filings — the full playbook.