Understanding RSU and SSAR in box 14 of W2 - How to properly report for taxes

The information in Box 14 of your W2 is supplemental information your employer provides to help with your tax preparation. Here's what these entries typically mean: RSU stands for Restricted Stock Units, which are shares of company stock given to you as compensation. When RSUs vest (become fully yours), their value is taxable income. The $4,050 in Box 14 is almost certainly already included in your Box 1 wages of $156,000. SSAR stands for Stock-Settled Appreciation Rights, which are similar to stock options. When exercised, the appreciation value becomes taxable income. The $19,250 in Box 14 is also likely already included in your Box 1 wages. For the SSAR you sold for $7,500, you need to determine the cost basis. Check if your employer or stock administrator provides a grant history statement or exercise confirmation showing your original basis. Sometimes this information is available on your company's equity portal or through their stock plan administrator (like Fidelity, E*TRADE, Morgan Stanley, etc.). If the $19,250 in Box 14 represents SSAR that were exercised last year, it's possible some portion relates to your sale, but without knowing the timeline, it's hard to say for certain.

After struggling with almost the exact same RSU and SSAR reporting issues on my taxes last year, I discovered https://taxr.ai and it literally saved me hours of frustration. I uploaded my W2, 1099-B, and an old statement from my company's stock plan administrator, and it immediately identified my cost basis for the stock I sold. What I really liked was how it explained everything in plain English - it showed me that my RSUs and SSARs were already included in my W2 income (Box 1) and calculated the adjusted basis for reporting on Form 8949. It even identified which specific grants my sold shares came from, which I had no clue about before.

I wanted to follow up about my experience with https://taxr.ai after my skeptical comment. I finally gave it a try with my complicated RSU situation and I'm blown away by how it simplified everything. You were right - it's WAY more helpful than TurboTax for equity compensation. I uploaded my documents and it immediately showed me that my RSUs from 2023 were already included in my W2 income, but I needed to adjust the cost basis on my 1099-B for shares I sold. It even explained exactly which portion of Box 14 corresponded to which stock sales. For anyone dealing with RSUs, SSARs or other equity compensation, this tool is seriously worth checking out. Saved me from making a $3,700 mistake on my taxes from incorrectly calculating my basis. Thanks for the recommendation!

If you're still struggling to get answers about your RSU and SSAR reporting, you might need to talk directly with the IRS. I was in the same boat last year - couldn't figure out my cost basis, employer wasn't helpful, and I kept getting different answers from tax software. I tried calling the IRS for weeks but could never get through. Then I found https://claimyr.com and used their service (there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The IRS agent explained exactly how to report my equity compensation correctly and what documentation I needed to request from my employer. Turns out I was overthinking it - the agent walked me through the whole process and even told me what forms to have my employer provide.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it for my RSU/stock option reporting question. I got connected to an IRS agent in 35 minutes after spending literally 6+ hours over multiple days trying on my own. The agent I spoke with was surprisingly helpful. She explained that my employer should have provided a supplemental statement showing the breakdown of my RSU income and cost basis calculations. When I told her I never received one, she explained exactly what to request from my employer's payroll department, using specific terminology that got me the right documentation immediately. If you're stuck on equity compensation reporting issues like RSUs or SSARs and need to talk to a real person at the IRS, this service actually delivers. Saved me from potentially filing incorrectly and dealing with an amended return later.

For your SSAR that you sold, check your last December paystub too, not just your W2. Sometimes there's more detailed information there about equity compensation. My company's paystubs actually break down each RSU/SSAR vest date and FMV, which is crucial for calculating cost basis. Also, did you receive any equity statements when the SSARs were exercised? Usually the stock administrator sends a confirmation showing the exercise price, FMV at exercise, and number of shares received. That document is gold for tax purposes.

Can someone explain the difference between SSAR and standard RSUs? My company offers both and I'm trying to understand the tax implications before my first shares vest next month.

I'm dealing with a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my tax preparer. The key thing to remember is that RSUs and SSARs are handled differently for tax purposes, but both should already be included in your Box 1 wages. For your specific situation with the $7,500 SSAR sale, you absolutely need to find the original exercise documentation to determine your cost basis. This is critical because without it, you might end up paying taxes twice - once when the SSARs were exercised (already included in a previous year's W2) and again when you report the sale. A few places to check for this information: 1. Your company's equity portal (Fidelity NetBenefits, E*TRADE, etc.) 2. Email confirmations from when you exercised the SSARs 3. Previous year tax documents if you exercised them recently 4. Contact your HR department - they should have records of all equity transactions Don't guess at the cost basis or leave it blank on Form 8949. The IRS will assume zero basis if you don't provide it, which could result in paying tax on the full $7,500 sale amount even though you already paid income tax when the SSARs were exercised.