How the IRS Taxes Stock You Didn't Buy
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Q: I received some shares of stock some years ago that were given to me as part of an agreement through a class-action lawsuit. Do I have to pay taxes on these shares when I sell? — Bob from Livingston, Tex.
A: In most instances, you would, says Michael Eisenberg, a certified public accountant in Los Angeles.
When you receive stock in lieu of cash for payment for services rendered or, in this case, a settlement, you’ll first owe income tax based on the value of the stock at that time. “Compensation is compensation, whether it’s cash or stock,” says Eisenberg. “It’s considered ordinary income.”
If you later sell the stock for a profit, you’ll also owe capital gains tax. How much you owe is based on the difference in value from the time you received the stock and the time you sold it, after accounting for such things as dividends, stock splits or capital distributions. This is called “basis.”
If you own the stock for less than 366 days – one year plus a day – your capital gains rate will be based on your income tax rate. If you own it longer, you’ll pay a lower rate.
Taxpayers in most brackets are taxed at 15% for long-term gains. Those in the 10% or 15% bracket may owe no long-term capital gains tax, while those in the 39.6% rate will need to pay up at 20%.
Are there any exceptions?
If for some reason this stock was given to you as a result of a class-action related to your retirement account, you may not owe tax. “If the stock settlement was applied to your IRA, it wouldn’t be taxable,” says Eisenberg, though such an example is pretty rare.
What if you receive stock as a gift or an inheritance?
In this case, you won’t owe income tax on that gift. You will, however, still owe capital gains tax when you sell.
If the stock is part of an inheritance, your capital gains rate will be based on the value of the stock at the time the original owner passed away. If your Granny gifts you stock while she’s still alive, however, your basis is based on when she bought the stock.