Equity & vesting
/hcm/me/equity is where your equity grants, vesting schedule, and
the IRS § 83(b) helper live. AxisSynapse supports the four common
grant types — RSU, ISO, NSO, RSA — with the
standard 4-year cliff vesting (or whatever schedule your board
approved). Mid-cycle adjustments (refresher grants, promotion
grants) are tracked separately from your original grant.
TL;DR — Open HCM → Me → Equity for your grant list + vesting schedule. Accept new grants the first time you see them. If you received an ISO or RSA, the § 83(b) election (if applicable) is available for the first 30 days — irrevocable after.
Before you start
- Equity grants are issued under your workspace's stock plan; the grant agreement is the legal source of truth. AxisSynapse mirrors the grant + tracks vesting + computes tax implications, but the plan document governs.
- For § 83(b) elections: you have 30 days from grant date to file. AxisSynapse generates the IRS form and walks you through the filing; the election is irrevocable.
Your grants
| Field | What it does | Accepted values / default |
|---|---|---|
| Grant type | RSU / ISO / NSO / RSA. | Determines tax treatment + § 83(b) availability. |
| Shares granted | Total shares in the grant. | From the board resolution. |
| Vesting schedule | How shares vest over time. | Default: 4-year with 1-year cliff (25% at month 12, then monthly thereafter). Custom schedules supported. |
| Strike price | Price per share at grant (ISOs / NSOs). | Set by board at grant; reflects 409A FMV. |
| Grant date / vesting start | When the schedule begins counting. | Often the same; for promo grants the start date may precede the grant date. |
| Acceptance status | Whether you've accepted the grant. | Until accepted, the grant is pending; vesting still accrues but the agreement isn't signed. |
Accept a new grant
Open the grant detail card
Click an unaccepted grant from your list.
Read the grant agreement
The agreement renders in the viewer. Scroll to the end.
Click "Accept grant"
Field-level signature surface (ESIGN / UETA conformant). The audit log records
HCM_EQUITY_GRANT_ACCEPTED.Optional: file § 83(b) (RSAs / ISOs)
If your grant is an RSA or you have eligible ISO shares, the § 83(b) helper appears. 30-day clock from grant date.
The § 83(b) helper
For RSAs and certain ISO exercises, electing § 83(b) means you pay ordinary income tax on the grant-time fair-market value instead of on each vest. Pros: future appreciation taxed at capital-gains rates. Cons: you owe tax now on shares that may never vest.
Open the § 83(b) helper
Available on the grant detail for 30 days from grant date.
Confirm grant FMV
The FMV at grant is pre-filled from the board resolution. This becomes your ordinary-income basis.
Generate the IRS form
AxisSynapse populates the form with your name, address, SSN, grant detail, and FMV.
Sign + mail to the IRS
The election must be mailed (certified return receipt recommended) to your IRS service center within 30 days. The helper surfaces the address.
Upload proof of mailing
USPS receipt or equivalent. Audit log records
HCM_EQUITY_83B_ELECTION_FILED.
Irrevocable
A § 83(b) election cannot be reversed after the 30-day window. The helper walks you through but does not constitute tax advice — talk to a CPA before electing.
Vesting schedule
The vesting card shows each tranche with date + shares + status. On each scheduled vest, AxisSynapse records the event automatically.
| Field | What it does | Accepted values / default |
|---|---|---|
| Cliff | First vest milestone (typically 25% at month 12). | No shares vest before the cliff date. |
| Monthly vesting (post-cliff) | Equal monthly tranches after the cliff until full vesting. | For 4-yr schedules: 1/48 per month after cliff. |
| Acceleration triggers | Specific events (change of control, double-trigger termination) that accelerate vesting per your agreement. | Plan-specific; the detail card shows what applies to your grant. |
| Termination behaviour | What happens to unvested shares when you leave. | Default: unvested shares forfeit. Some plans allow extended exercise windows for vested ISOs (90d-10y). |
Mid-cycle adjustments
Promotions, refresh grants, and special awards are tracked as SEPARATE grants — your original grant's schedule is never modified in place. Each adjustment has its own grant date, vesting start, and detail card.
Every field, explained
| Field | What it does | Accepted values / default |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance signature | Your e-signature on the grant agreement. | Field-level; ESIGN / UETA conformant. |
| § 83(b) FMV | Fair-market value at grant date (basis for the election). | Pre-filled from board resolution. |
| § 83(b) mailing proof | Upload of the USPS receipt (or equivalent). | Stored 7 years; required for IRS audit defense. |
| Vesting schedule (view-only) | Read-only computed schedule. | Plan + grant agreement decide; not editable. |
Common gotchas
- "My grant agreement says X but the system shows Y." The agreement is the source of truth; report the discrepancy to HR immediately. AxisSynapse will not modify the grant without a 4-eyes board cosign.
- "I missed the 30-day § 83(b) window." The election is unavailable; this is enforced by IRS rule, not by AxisSynapse.
- "Termination wiped out years of vesting." Unvested shares forfeit per plan policy. Vested ISOs typically have a 90-day exercise window; the detail card shows yours.
- "My promo grant doesn't show acceleration." Plan-specific. Check your grant agreement; if the plan supports acceleration, the trigger event has to actually occur.
Troubleshooting
| Error code | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
EQUITY_GRANT_NOT_FOUND | The grant isn't visible on your account. | Contact HR; possibly not yet board-approved. |
EQUITY_83B_WINDOW_CLOSED | More than 30 days since grant date. | Election unavailable. |
EQUITY_VEST_PROJECTION_INVALID | An accelerated event was claimed but the trigger didn't actually occur. | HR will reconcile. |
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