This New Election Allows Employees to Defer Income from Exercising Stock Options or RSUs for Up To Five Years Using Section 83(i)
An employee who receives equity-based compensation may have to pay tax when they receive or exercise stock or options, but the terms of the grant (such as a vesting period) may not allow them to exercise the option and/or sell the shares until a later date, leaving the employee with a tax bill and no way to liquidate their options to pull together the cash to pay the taxes due. The new Section 83(i) election aims to resolve this timing difference.