We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our
goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you
with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original
and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare
information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with
confidence.
Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to,
American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and
Discover.
How We Make Money.
The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate
us. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this
site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear
within the listing categories. But this compensation does not
influence the information we publish, or the reviews that you see on
this site. We do not include the universe of companies or financial
offers that may be available to you.
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions.
While we adhere to strict
,
this post may contain references to products from our partners.
Here’s an explanation for
Editorial Integrity
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that
we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and
reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the
right financial decisions.
Key Principles
We value your trust. Our mission is to provide readers with
accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards
in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters
thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information
you’re reading is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our
advertisers and our editorial team. Our editorial team does not
receive direct compensation from our advertisers.
Editorial Independence
Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader.
Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart
personal finance decisions. We follow strict guidelines to ensure
that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. Our
editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers,
and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. So,
whether you’re reading an article or a review, you can trust that
you’re getting credible and dependable information.
How We Make Money
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have
been helping you master your money for over four decades. We
continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and
tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that
our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and
reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the
right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial
staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our
advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content,
competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we
make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher
and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for
placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking
on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation
may impact how, where and in what order products appear within
listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary
website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at
your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and
where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a
wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about
every financial or credit product or service.
Which bank should I choose?
Get personalized bank recommendations in 3 easy steps.
Dear Tax Talk,
I have warrants that were given to me as an inducement to buy additional shares in a private company that may go public. I also own stock of the company, around 2 percent. The warrant gives me the right to buy shares at $2 in the middle of this year. The company may go public; thereafter I would sell my shares. I received the warrants two years ago. When does my holding period start for purposes of determining long-term capital gain?
Thanks. — Andrew
Dear Andrew,
An excellent question; unfortunately, though, it may not come with the answer you want. Your holding period commences on the day that you exercise your right to acquire the stock. It does not include the period that you held the warrant, even though that may have been for more than one year. The basis for that conclusion can be found in the tax law itself at Section 1223(5).
If you exercise the options before the stock goes public, you do not recognize any additional income. If you received the warrants in relation to the performance of services, you would have to recognize income upon their exercise to the extent they have value. Since this is not the case, the exercise of the warrants does not imply any additional income recognition. Your basis in the stock is $2 per share.
If you sell the stock within a year, you have short-term capital gain. You would have to wait one year and a day to get long-term capital gain treatment.
Ask the adviser
To ask a question on Tax Talk, go to the “Ask the Experts” page and select “Taxes” as the topic. Read more Tax Talk columns.
To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, we inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. Taxpayers should seek professional advice based on their particular circumstances.
Share