{"id":1259,"date":"2015-02-07T14:07:21","date_gmt":"2015-02-07T05:07:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tk-tax-accounting.com\/?p=1259"},"modified":"2024-05-25T02:17:15","modified_gmt":"2024-05-25T02:17:15","slug":"english-taxation-of-stock-options-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/english-taxation-of-stock-options-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Taxation of Stock Options"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!--:en-->Case 21<\/p>\n<p>&lt;Question&gt;<\/p>\n<p>I am from the US and have been working at a Japanese company for 3 years (I am a non-permanent resident in Japan). Before coming to Japan, I worked at the parent company of the Japanese company in the US, and stock options were rendered. I exercised and sold the stock options this year, so I would like to know the taxation under the following conditions.<\/p>\n<p>1. Unqualified stock option in the US<br \/>\n2. The details of the stock options<\/p>\n<table style=\"border: 0px solid #000000;\" dir=\"ltr\" border=\"0\" frame=\"border\" rules=\"all\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\" colspan=\"4\">\n<p align=\"center\">Vest<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\" colspan=\"4\">\n<p align=\"center\">Exercise<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Date<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Number<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Unit price<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Total<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Date<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Number<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Unit price<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Total<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">1996, April 24<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">7,000<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">$120<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">$840,000<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">2013, July 21<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">7,000<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">$180<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">$1,260,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\" colspan=\"4\">\n<p align=\"center\">Sold<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Date<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Number<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Unit Price<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Total<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">2013, December \u300014<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">7,000<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">$200<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">$1,400,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>3. Working status<\/p>\n<p>Company in US (the parent company): Until 2008, December 31<\/p>\n<p>Company in Japan: 2009, January 1 \uff5e<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&lt;Answer&gt;<\/p>\n<p>Basic taxation of stock options depends on whether they are qualified stocks or unqualified stocks. The qualified stock option is not subject to Japanese income tax until it is sold, on the other hand the unqualified stock option is subject to Japanese income tax when it is exercised and sold. In your case, it is the unqualified stock option in the US though, whether it is qualified or unqualified is judged based upon Japanese income tax laws. There is no information to judge it, so we regard\u00a0this case as an unqualified stock option.<\/p>\n<p>Basically, taxation is determined by employment income and capital gains based upon Japanese income tax. The following is the example of taxation.<\/p>\n<p>1. Vested stock options at JPY 1,000<br \/>\n2. Exercise the right at JPY 2,000<br \/>\n3. Sold the stocks at JPY 4,000<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Non-qualified stock option<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">Qualified stock option<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">Granted stock option<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">No tax<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">No tax<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">Exercising the right<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">Impose the income tax as employment income (JPY1,000 = JPY2,000 \u2013 JPY1,000)<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p align=\"center\">No tax<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">Sold the stocks<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">Impose the income tax as Capital <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">gains<\/span> (JPY2,000 = JPY4,000 \u2013 JPY2,000)<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #000000;\">Impose the income tax as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Capital<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">gains<\/span> (JPY3,000 = JPY4,000 \u2013 JPY2,000)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>This is quite a simple example, so the following points should be considered in your case.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Calculate the domestic source income and other incomes outside of Japan<\/li>\n<li>Foreign exchange rate from US dollar to Japanese Yen<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Tax treaty for capital gains<\/li>\n<li>Foreign tax credit<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Domestic source income or other income<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Non-permanent residents are subject to Japanese income tax on domestic source income and other income paid in Japan or remitted from outside of Japan. Therefore, clarification of the income is quite important. First of all, regarding employment income (exercised income), the following is considered;<\/p>\n<p>(Employment income)<\/p>\n<p>It has to be calculated based upon <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">a<\/span> pro-rata basis as follows.<\/p>\n<p>(1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The number of days from vested date of the stock option to exercise date.<br \/>\n(2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The number of days from entry into Japan to the exercise date.<br \/>\n(3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u3000 \u00a0The number of days worked outside of Japan from the vested date to the exercise date.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>(Capital gains)<\/p>\n<p>It is regarded\u00a0as domestic source income in Japan though, the tax treaty has to be considered.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Foreign exchange rate<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are 3 exchange rates, TTB, TTM and TTS though, TTB is applied to the profits on each exercise date or sell date.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Tax treaty for the capital gains<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Japan-US tax treaty says \u201c\u201cGains from the alienation of any property other than that referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this Article shall be taxable only in the Contracting State of which the alienator is a resident (Article 13(7))\u201d. Basically, Japan has the right to impose the tax on it regardless of foreign source income, however, the tax treaty Article 4 stated that the capital gains is supposed to be taxed in the source country in the case of non-permanent residents. Therefore, US tax is imposed in this case.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Foreign tax credit<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When the stock options are exercised or sold, the withholding tax must be imposed in the US. Employment income (income by exercised stocks) consists of domestic source income and other income. The withholding tax in the US is imposed both on domestic source income and other income. The domestic source income is subject to Japanese income tax, so this portion creates a double taxation problem between Japan and the US.\u00a0The\u00a0foreign tax credit is given in order to mitigate double taxation of income when income subject to Japanese income tax is also subject to income tax in another country (If you lived in the US when the stock option was exercised or sold, the foreign tax credit might not be administered. It depends on the case).<\/p>\n<p>These are the main features of stock option taxation. The following is the calculation process of this case:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Employment income: $420,000 ($1,260,000 &#8211; $ 840,000)<\/p>\n<p>Capital gains: $140,000 ($1,260,000 &#8211; $1,400,000)<\/p>\n<p>Total income: $560,000<\/p>\n<p>Total days: 4,498 days (1996, April 24 \u2013 2013, July 21)<\/p>\n<p>Total days as a resident in Japan: 1,187 days (2009, January 1 \u2013 2013, July 21)<\/p>\n<p>Total days working in US: 3,311 days (4,498 \u2013 1,187)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Domestic source income: $110,836 ($420,000 <\/strong><strong>\u00d7<\/strong><strong>(1,187 days <\/strong><strong>\u00f7<\/strong><strong> 4,498 days)) <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Other income: $309,164 ($420,000 &#8211; $110,836)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As a result, $110,836 is subject to Japanese income tax as domestic source income. Additionally, the adopted exchange rate is based upon the exercise date.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding capital gains, they are subject to US taxation as you are a non-permanent resident.<\/p>\n<p>The withholding tax must be imposed in the US though, when you exercised the stock option you were already in Japan, so the foreign tax credit is available in Japan.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>By Certified Public Accountant, Koji Takahashi,<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Tokyo &amp; Yokohama<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<!--:--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Case 21 &lt;Question&gt; I am from the US and have been working at a Japanese company for 3 years (I am a non-permanent resident in Japan). Before coming to Japan,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1259","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-news-2"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1259"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6925,"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1259\/revisions\/6925"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tkpartners.or.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}