Does this include brokerage fees?

No. Most sell-to-cover fees are small; add them separately if needed.

Why is effective withholding higher than my rate?

Whole-share rounding can sell slightly more shares than the exact percentage.

Can I change the withholding rate?

Some employers fix it; others allow requests. Use your actual combined rate if known.

No. It is an estimate only—confirm with payroll and a tax pro.

What about ESPP or options?

This tool is RSU-specific; options/ESPP have different tax handling.

finance calculator

RSU Sell-to-Cover Estimator

See how many RSU shares are sold to cover taxes and the net shares and value you receive.

Results

Gross value at vest: $5,000
Shares sold to cover: 30.00
Tax withheld (value): $1,500
Net shares delivered: 70.00
Net value delivered: $3,500
Effective withholding rate: 30.00%

How to use this calculator

Enter shares vesting and current share price.
Enter the combined withholding rate (federal, state, payroll).
Review shares sold, net shares, and net value after withholding.

Inputs explained

Withholding rate: Use your company’s supplemental rate or combined federal/state/payroll estimate.
Share price: Fair market value at vest; taxes are based on this value.

How it works

Shares sold are rounded up to whole shares based on the entered withholding rate. Gross value = shares × price.

Net shares = shares − shares sold. Net value = net shares × price. Effective rate reflects rounding up to whole shares.

Formula

Gross value = Shares × Price
Shares sold = Ceiling(Shares × Withholding rate)
Tax withheld = Shares sold × Price
Net shares = Shares − Shares sold
Net value = Net shares × Price
Effective withholding rate = Tax withheld ÷ Gross value

When to use it

Planning cash needs on vesting days.
Checking if sell-to-cover over-withholds due to rounding up shares.
Comparing net shares between different withholding rates or prices.

Tips & cautions

Employers often round up shares sold; effective withholding may exceed the nominal rate.
State/local taxes may require a higher combined rate than the default supplemental rate.
If you plan to hold, be aware of concentration risk and future tax events on sale.
Whole-share rounding approximation; your broker’s rounding may differ.
Does not include trading fees or specific payroll timing.
Not tax advice; consult your employer and tax professional.

Worked examples

75 shares @ $40, 30% withholding

Gross value = $3,000
Shares sold = ceil(75 × 30%) = 23
Net shares = 52
Net value ≈ $2,080
Effective withholding ≈ 30.7%

Deep dive

Quickly estimate RSU sell-to-cover withholding, shares sold, and net shares/value delivered at vest.

Model different share prices and tax rates to see how rounding impacts net RSU delivery.

FAQs

Does this include brokerage fees?: No. Most sell-to-cover fees are small; add them separately if needed.
Why is effective withholding higher than my rate?: Whole-share rounding can sell slightly more shares than the exact percentage.
Can I change the withholding rate?: Some employers fix it; others allow requests. Use your actual combined rate if known.
Is this tax advice?: No. It is an estimate only—confirm with payroll and a tax pro.
What about ESPP or options?: This tool is RSU-specific; options/ESPP have different tax handling.

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Simplified RSU estimate using whole-share sell-to-cover rounding. Confirm details with your employer and tax advisor.