2026 tax year · Alaska
RSU tax in Alaska
Alaska takes nothing from a vest, but your employer still under-withholds the federal share, $2,970 of it on the example below.
What a $60,000 vest actually costs in Alaska
A single filer already earning $180,000 in salary. The vest stacks on top of that, so it fills the highest brackets rather than starting at the bottom:
| Withheld by your employer at 22.0% | $13,200 |
| Federal tax the vest actually costs | $16,170 |
| Federal shortfall, owed in April | $2,970 |
| Alaska income tax on the vest | none |
| Total still to find | $2,970 |
The withholding rate is flat, 22.0% below $1 million of supplemental pay. And takes no account of your salary. That is why the gap grows the more you earn.
The gap widens with salary
| Salary | Withheld | Actually owed | Shortfall | Alaska tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $90,000 | $13,200 | $13,764 | $564 | , |
| $160,000 | $13,200 | $14,570 | $1,370 | , |
| $260,000 | $13,200 | $20,630 | $7,430 | , |
How Alaska treats a vest
Alaska has no personal income tax, so a vest is a federal-only event here, $16,170 of federal tax on $60,000 of vesting stock, and nothing to the state.
Alaska specifics that change the number
Alaska is also one of five states with no general sales tax, so the total tax picture is lighter than the income tax line alone suggests.
What the same vest costs around Alaska
Total income of $240,000 in the states Alaska borders:
| State | Its tax | vs Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | No income tax | same |
| Florida | No income tax | same |
| New York | $13,924 | +$13,924 |
| California | $18,575 | +$18,575 |
- Texas works out the same as Alaska on this income.
- Florida works out the same as Alaska on this income.
- New York would take $13,924 more, $13,924 against Alaska's $0.
- California would take $18,575 more, $18,575 against Alaska's $0.
RSU questions in Alaska
Should I sell at vest?
Selling immediately raises the cash for the $2,970 you still owe and leaves no capital gain, because the sale price equals the price you were already taxed on. Holding turns it into an investment decision, any further gain is a capital gain, and any fall is a loss you take on shares you were already taxed on at the higher value.
I moved to Alaska mid-vest, who taxes it?
Both states, split by workdays. The income is allocated across the vesting period, not assigned to wherever you happened to live on the vesting date. The state you left can still claim its share, and California, New York and Massachusetts pursue it hardest.