Financial Independence

Executive Planning Series: Stock Plans

Executive Planning Series: Stock Plans

A stock plan is a form of employee compensation that provides you with either stock or an amount of cash that is based on the performance of your employer's stock. There are numerous types of stock plans that your employer can offer, including employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), restricted stock plans, stock appreciation rights plans, nonqualified stock option plans, and employee stock purchase plans.

Business Owner Series: Should You Set Up a Profit-Sharing Plan?

Business Owner Series: Should You Set Up a Profit-Sharing Plan?

A profit-sharing plan is a type of qualified defined contribution plan in which you, the employer, contribute to the accounts of participating employees. As the name implies, your employer contributions are generally (but not necessarily) tied to your business's profits, allowing employees to "share" in those profits. Annual contributions to the plan may be discretionary (you need not contribute anything at all), or may be based on a specific formula relating to your annual profits.

Saving for College: What You Need to Know - Part 1

Saving for College: What You Need to Know - Part 1

Every October, the College Board releases its Trends in College Pricing report that highlights college cost increases for the current academic year along with trends in the world of higher education. While costs can vary significantly depending on the region and individual college, the College Board publishes average cost figures, which are based on its survey of nearly 4,000 colleges across the country.

Executive Planning Series: Part 1 - Incentive Stock Options

Executive Planning Series: Part 1 - Incentive Stock Options

An incentive stock option is a right or option granted by the sponsoring corporation to its employees to purchase shares of the corporation's stock at a certain price for a specified period of time, notwithstanding an increase in the value of the stock after the option is granted. It is sometimes referred to as a qualified or statutory stock option.