How is RSU vesting taxed in California?

RSUs are taxed as ordinary income at vest. The FMV on vest date is added to your W-2 wages. Federal supplemental withholding is typically 22%, plus California state supplemental rate and FICA. Use the calculator above for your California estimate.

What is sell-to-cover on RSUs?

Sell-to-cover means your employer sells a portion of your vesting RSUs to cover tax withholding. You receive the remaining net shares. The calculator shows how many shares are sold and how many you keep based on federal, state, and FICA withholding.

RSU Tax Calculator California 2026

Estimate tax on RSU vesting in California. See gross income, tax withheld, sell-to-cover shares, net shares received, and after-tax value.

RSU Vesting Details

Enter the number of RSUs vesting and fair market value to estimate tax withholding and net shares.

Number of RSUs vesting

Fair market value (FMV) per share ($)

Filing status

State

Other annual income (salary, bonus, etc.)

Used for Social Security wage base, Medicare threshold, and tax bracket impact.

After sell-to-cover

60.12 shares

$9,018 after-tax value

Gross: $15,000Tax withheld: $5,982 (39.9%)Shares sold: 39.88

Gross RSU income

$15,000

Estimated tax withheld

$5,982

Marginal bracket

24%

Effective tax on RSU

45.0%

Marginal bracket: 24%

Federal Income Tax (supplemental 22%)

Flat 22% supplemental wage withholding

$3,300(22.0%)

Social Security (6.2%)

6.2% on vest value

$930(6.2%)

Medicare (1.45%)

1.45% on all wages

$218(1.4%)

State Tax (CA)

CA supplemental withholding

$1,535(10.2%)

AMT note: RSUs are taxed as ordinary income at vest and generally do not trigger Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). AMT typically applies to incentive stock options (ISOs) when you exercise and hold. RSUs vest as compensation and are taxed like salary.

Supplemental wage withholding

Employers typically withhold RSU vesting at 22% federal (37% on amounts over $1M) plus state supplemental rates and FICA. This calculator assumes the flat supplemental method. Your actual withholding may vary if your employer uses the aggregate method.

Compare RSU tax across states or use other equity tools.

RSU Tax in California: How California Affects Your Vest

Why RSU vesting tax in California depends on federal withholding, California state tax, and FICA—and how to estimate sell-to-cover and net shares.

RSU vesting tax in California

RSUs (restricted stock units) are taxed as ordinary income when they vest. The fair market value (FMV) on the vest date is added to your W-2 wages. Employers typically withhold at the supplemental rate: 22% federal (37% above $1M), plus California state supplemental withholding and FICA (6.2% Social Security up to the wage base, 1.45% Medicare). This calculator uses your state (California) to estimate total withholding and how many shares are sold to cover tax.

California state tax on RSUs

California has state income tax, so RSU vesting in California is subject to state withholding in addition to federal and FICA. High-tax states like California, California, and New York withhold 10%+ on supplemental wages. Your take-home from RSU vesting in California is lower than in no-tax states (Texas, Florida, Washington, etc.). The calculator above includes California state supplemental rate.

Sell-to-cover and net shares in California

With sell-to-cover, your employer sells some vesting shares to pay the tax and delivers the rest to your brokerage. Shares sold = Tax withheld ÷ FMV per share. The calculator shows how many shares you keep after federal, California state, and FICA withholding. For full vesting schedules, use our Equity Vesting Calculator; when a tranche vests, use this tool for that vest event.

RSU Tax FAQ – California

Common questions about RSU vesting tax in California