RSU Vesting Value Calculator: Vested Share From a Grant
Work out the vested value of an RSU grant — the share that has crossed the vesting cliff and become yours, separate from the unvested portion still tied to continued employment.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Vested value | Unvested remainder |
|---|---|---|
| 25% of $120k (year 1) | 30,000 | 90,000 |
| 50% of $200k | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| 12.5% of $80k (6 months) | 10,000 | 70,000 |
| 100% of $50k (fully vested) | 50,000 | 0 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the vested percentage and the total grant value at today's share price. The calculator multiplies the two to give the vested value and shows the unvested remainder. The figure is pre-tax — RSUs vest as ordinary income, and the cash impact depends on the actual share price on each vest date.
The Formula
Percentage of an Amount
Amount is the base value, Percentage is the rate applied to it
Worked Example
A $120,000 RSU grant 25% vested has $30,000 vested and $90,000 unvested. On a standard 4-year cliff vest, that's typical of year 1. The vested $30,000 has already been taxed as income at vest (employer withheld); the unvested $90,000 only matters if you stay through future vest dates.
Key Insight
RSUs are most often misread as 'free money on top of salary' when they are really deferred compensation contingent on staying. The unvested portion has zero value if you leave; the vested portion is yours but already taxed as income — meaning what you keep depends on the share price moving after vest, not before. Treat vested RSUs as portfolio holdings and diversify; treat unvested RSUs as future income, not current wealth.
RSU tax — substantial impact
ORDINARY INCOME at vest. RSUs taxed as ordinary income on FMV at vesting (not at sale). For high earner: federal 32-37% + state 5-13% = combined 40-50% on RSU vesting value.
Employer withholds shares. Typically default withhold 22% federal + state. May undertax high earners — additional payment due at filing.
Strategy. Sell newly-vested RSUs to fund tax. Removes risk of falling stock price + tax bill mismatch. Common best practice.
Alternative: hold all RSUs. Risk: stock falls before sale. Substantial loss if RSU sold at lower price than vested value (still owe tax on full vesting value but sale proceeds less).
CAPITAL GAINS on subsequent appreciation. After vest, future appreciation = capital gain. Long-term (1+ year hold) preferential rate.
Net effective compensation. RSU + cash compensation. For tech worker. $250K cash + $250K RSU vesting = $500K total. Tax on $500K total. RSU treatment same as additional cash compensation.
Public vs private company RSU dynamics
PUBLIC COMPANY RSUs. Vested shares immediately tradeable (subject to insider trading rules). Easy to value (market price). Easy to sell to fund tax.
PRIVATE COMPANY RSUs. Substantial complications. (1) NO LIQUIDITY. Shares vest but can't sell. May owe tax on illiquid asset.
(2) DOUBLE-TRIGGER. Many private RSUs require both (a) time vest AND (b) liquidity event (IPO, acquisition) before tax owed.
(3) PRIVATE TAX TRAP. Workers at high-flying private companies (Stripe, OpenAI, etc.) face substantial tax bills when company IPOs. Without saved cash, may need to sell substantial portion at IPO to fund tax.
Strategy for private RSUs. (1) UNDERSTAND TRIGGER STRUCTURE. Single-trigger (time only) vs double-trigger (time + liquidity event). Most modern private RSUs use double-trigger to defer tax.
(2) PLAN FOR IPO TAX. Substantial tax bill when stock vests on IPO. Save cash beforehand or plan to sell shares at IPO.
(3) TENDER OFFERS. Some private companies offer tender offers (secondary sales) allowing employees to sell some shares pre-IPO. Limited but valuable.
(4) BENEFITS PACKAGE. Some private companies offer 'tax-equalization' loans or other support for RSU tax issues.
RSU compensation typical at U.S. tech companies
Reference RSU grant size by role at U.S. major tech companies.
| Role level | Annual RSU grant value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Junior engineer (L3, etc.) | $30K-$80K | 4-year vest typical |
| Mid engineer (L4) | $80K-$200K | |
| Senior engineer (L5) | $150K-$400K | |
| Staff/Principal (L6+) | $250K-$800K+ | |
| Engineering Manager | $200K-$500K | Plus management premium |
| Director | $400K-$1.2M | |
| VP | $1M-$3M+ | Includes substantial RSU |
RSU represents substantial portion of U.S. tech total compensation. Senior engineer earning $400K total comp may receive 60-70% as RSU. Volatility risk substantial — stock price changes meaningfully affect realized compensation. RSU value at vest can differ substantially from value at grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is RSU vested value calculated?
Multiply the vested percentage by the total grant value at the current share price. 25% of a $120,000 grant is $30,000 vested.
What is a typical RSU vesting schedule?
Most US tech employers use a 4-year vest with a 1-year cliff: 25% vests at year 1, then monthly or quarterly through year 4. Some use 4-year backloaded schedules (5%-15%-40%-40%) that favor employees who stay longer.
Are RSUs taxed when granted or when vested?
Vested. RSUs are not taxed at grant — they are taxed as ordinary income at the share price on the vest date. Employers typically withhold a flat percentage that often under-withholds for high earners.
What happens if I leave before fully vested?
Unvested RSUs are forfeited — they revert to the company. Vested RSUs are yours and stay in your brokerage account. Some companies offer accelerated vesting on certain events (acquisition, layoff); read the grant agreement.
Should I hold or sell vested RSUs?
Concentration risk argues for selling at vest — your salary is already tied to the company. Most financial advisors recommend selling vested RSUs immediately and reinvesting in a diversified portfolio unless you have strong conviction about the stock.
When is this calculator unreliable?
For private company RSUs (no public market for valuation — vesting value uncertain). Also unreliable when stock price highly volatile (vest-day value can differ substantially from any point before). For private RSUs, defer to vesting trigger structure (single vs double trigger) for tax planning.
References & Authoritative Sources
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — RSU Tax Treatment · consulted June 1, 2026 · Federal tax regulator
- Carta — Equity Research — RSU Best Practices · consulted June 1, 2026 · Industry equity management platform
- Stanford Center for Compensation Analysis — Equity Compensation Research · consulted June 1, 2026 · Academic compensation research
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Methodology & Review
RSU vesting value equals shares vesting × current stock price. The calculator returns vested RSU value. Standard vesting schedule: 25% after 1-year cliff; 75% remaining vests quarterly or monthly over 3 additional years. Total 4-year vesting common. Differs from stock options (which give right to purchase) — RSUs deliver actual shares at vesting. RELIABILITY: Reliable for documented shares and price. Less reliable when (a) price fluctuates substantially (vesting value uncertain until vest date); (b) for private company RSUs (no public market for valuation); (c) tax treatment can change effective value substantially.
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