Does Texas tax RSU income the same as wages?

Texas has no state income tax on wages, so RSU ordinary income is federal-only. Note that Washington residents still owe the 7% state long-term capital gains tax on sales above the threshold, and other states may claw back some income if your grant pre-dated your move.

What happens if I exercise ISOs while living in Texas?

Texas does not run a separate state AMT, so only federal AMT applies. You still need to model the bargain element carefully if you plan a cashless exercise-and-sell.

I moved to Texas from another state. Who taxes my vesting RSUs?

Most high-tax states (CA, NY, MA) source RSU ordinary income to workdays between grant and vest. If your grant pre-dates your Texas move, expect the old state to tax the portion of each tranche attributable to workdays earned there. Texas taxes the remainder.

Can I reduce Texas taxes by timing my RSU sales?

Texas has no state income tax, so sale timing affects only your federal bill. NIIT and federal capital-gains brackets are still in play.

Leaving Texas: how to cleanly break residency before a liquidity event

What Texas residents actually pay

Texas has no state income tax on wages. That removes a layer — but federal AMT, federal capital gains, and the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax still apply, and a prior state may still have a claim.

No state income tax; Austin is a top secondary hub after the 2020 migration wave.

Establishing the break

Texas has no state income tax to break from. The relevant question on a move out is whether your new state will try to claim you as a resident for the year of a big equity sale. Keep move-date documentation: lease or purchase agreements, utility start dates, voter registration, DMV records.

Trailing-grant rules

Even after a clean break, most high-tax states claim a workday-sourced share of equity that vested after you moved but was earned while you were a resident. Plan the move timing around known vesting and exercise events; moving in January before a year of vesting is cleaner than moving in June mid-vest.

Records to keep

Three years of records, minimum. Calendar (for day-count defense), payroll history (showing work location each pay period), real estate transactions, travel receipts, medical and professional records. If audited, the burden is on you to prove the new residency.

Frequently asked

Does Texas tax RSU income the same as wages?: Texas has no state income tax on wages, so RSU ordinary income is federal-only. Note that Washington residents still owe the 7% state long-term capital gains tax on sales above the threshold, and other states may claw back some income if your grant pre-dated your move.
What happens if I exercise ISOs while living in Texas?: Texas does not run a separate state AMT, so only federal AMT applies. You still need to model the bargain element carefully if you plan a cashless exercise-and-sell.
I moved to Texas from another state. Who taxes my vesting RSUs?: Most high-tax states (CA, NY, MA) source RSU ordinary income to workdays between grant and vest. If your grant pre-dates your Texas move, expect the old state to tax the portion of each tranche attributable to workdays earned there. Texas taxes the remainder.
Can I reduce Texas taxes by timing my RSU sales?: Texas has no state income tax, so sale timing affects only your federal bill. NIIT and federal capital-gains brackets are still in play.