NUA Calculator: Employer Stock Tax Strategy
If your 401(k) holds employer stock that has appreciated significantly, rolling it to an IRA may not be the best move. The NUA strategy under IRC § 402(e)(4) lets you pay long-term capital gains rates on the appreciation instead of ordinary income rates. Calculate whether it saves you money.
How this calculator works and the math behind itHow the NUA calculation works
Say your employer contributed stock with a cost basis of $20,000, and it's now worth $150,000. The NUA is $130,000. If you roll everything to an IRA and withdraw later, all $150,000 comes out at your ordinary income rate. At 32%, that's $48,000 in federal tax.
With NUA, you take the stock as an in-kind distribution. You pay ordinary income tax on the $20,000 basis immediately -- $6,400 at 32%. When you sell the shares, the $130,000 NUA is taxed as long-term capital gains, typically at 15-20%. At 15%, that's $19,500. Total tax: $25,900 instead of $48,000. Savings: $22,100.
The strategy works best with a high cost basis-to-NUA ratio, a large rate differential between ordinary and capital gains rates, and a plan to sell the stock relatively soon after distribution. If you hold the stock for decades after NUA treatment, the comparison shifts because an IRA could have grown tax-deferred during that period.
One catch: the entire plan balance must be distributed in the same tax year. You cannot move just the stock and leave the mutual funds in the plan. This means you may also be triggering a taxable event on cash and other positions unless you roll them to an IRA at the same time. Most advisors recommend a split distribution: roll everything except the employer stock to an IRA, take the employer stock in-kind.
Frequently asked questions
What is the NUA strategy?
Instead of rolling employer 401(k) stock to an IRA, you take it as an in-kind distribution. Pay ordinary income tax only on the cost basis now. When you sell, the appreciation (the NUA) is taxed at long-term capital gains rates -- typically 15-20% vs 22-37% for ordinary income. The savings can be substantial on highly appreciated stock.
When is NUA worth using?
When the NUA is large relative to your basis, your ordinary rate is significantly higher than your capital gains rate, and you have a qualifying distribution event. A small NUA or narrow rate differential reduces the advantage to near zero.
What triggers qualify?
Separation from service, reaching 59.5, death, or total disability. The full plan balance (not just the stock) must be distributed in one tax year. Partial distributions don't qualify.
Does the 10% penalty apply?
On the cost basis portion, yes, if you're under 59.5 and don't have an exception. The NUA itself avoids the penalty -- it's only taxed as capital gains when sold, not penalized at distribution. Separating from service after 55 also avoids the penalty.
Should I hold the stock after distribution?
Depends. Any additional appreciation AFTER the distribution date is taxed as either short or long-term capital gains depending on your holding period post-distribution. NUA treatment locks in the capital gains rate on the appreciation that accrued inside the plan. Further appreciation is a separate calculation.