Stock options (BenefitsLink.com)Headlines re Stock options, gathered by BenefitsLink.comNew edition of Accounting for Equity Compensation- (Found July 5, 2008 ) The NCEO presents excerpts from the new edition of Accounting for Equity Compensation, which provides detailed coverage of how to account for stock options, ESPPs, and other equity instruments under SFAS 123(R). It is a required text in the Certified Equity Professional (CEP) program. (National Center for Employee Ownership)http://www.nceo.org/pubs/accounting_equity.html Guidance Overview SEC Extends Availability of So-Called 'Expected Life Shortcut' for Use in Expensing of Share-Based Payments Under Fas 123- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "In December, the SEC staff released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 110 (SAB 110). For limited circumstances, this extends the availability of the shortcut used in expensing share-based payments under FAS 123." (JPMorgan)http://www.jpmorgan.com/cm/Satellite?c=JPM_Content_C&cid=1159330816729&pagename=jp... Beware Calendar Cash: The Feds Look Into Stock Option Backdating Schemes- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "This article focuses on the general treatment of stock options under federal income tax rules, tax issues involving backdated stock options, and strategies for complying with IRS inquiries during tax examinations." (Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants)http://www.picpa.org/asp/Journal/journal_article_details.asp?action=Normal&ID=1343 Opinion: With Its New CEO Incentive Plan, AmEx Has Created a Better Model for Executive Compensation- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "I'd advise four key groups - CEOs, board members, government officials, and presidential candidates - to study the remarkable grant of stock options that American Express's (AXP, Fortune 500) board recently gave CEO Ken Chenault." (Fortune via CNNMoney.com)http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2008/01/21/102659595/index.htm?post... Executive Compensation Update, December 2007 (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) 13 pages. The newsletter includes articles titled: IRS Postpones Year-End Deadline for Code Sec. 409A Changes; New Rules Issued on Reporting of Company-Owned Life Insurance Contracts; SEC Announces Scrutiny of 10b5-1Trading Plans; Court Upholds Plan Administrator's Interpretation in 'Claw Back' Case; Bad Facts Make Bad Law: Another Adverse Ruling in a Backdating Case; Consider Adopting Stock Option Award Guidelines; Executive Roth Plans: A New Funding Concept for Nonqualified Plans; and,...http://www.winston.com/siteFiles/publications/CCH_Update_Vol3_Issue4.pdf Overview: Rule 144 Adopting Release (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) 5 pages. Excerpt: "The SEC is adopting a six-month holding period for the resale of restricted securities of reporting companies by affiliates and non-affiliates. Restricted securities of non-reporting issuers will have a one-year holding period. The SEC believes that these new holding periods are appropriate given the differences in the amount of information available for reporting and non-reporting companies." (Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP)http://www.drinkerbiddle.com/files/Publication/dceee525-c181-421c-9931-00dd74778cf9/Presen... ICI Makes Recommendations on SEC Exemptive Application Proposal- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "ICI believes that a recent SEC proposal, with minor modifications, would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency's exemptive application process, thus allowing for fund industry innovation while still affording effective investor protections." (Investment Company Institute)http://www.ici.org/new/07_sec_edgar_cvr.html#TopOfPage Options Still Dominate Executive Compensation Package- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "The median value of total retirement benefits of Fortune 500 CEOs in 2006 was only about half that of their outstanding options awards, according to a new study." (PLANSPONSOR.com; free registration required)http://www.plansponsor.com/pi_type10/?RECORD_ID=39890 Summary of FASB Statement 123R on Share-Based Payment, Revised December 18, 2007 (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Statement 123R creates a more 'level playing field' for equity incentive design that is expected to result in the increased prevalence of full-value and performance-vesting awards, and a corresponding decline in plain-vanilla, tax qualified, and reload stock options, and employee stock purchase plans. The remainder of this paper summarizes the most pertinent provisions of Statement 123R and related staff guidance provided by the FASB and the Securities and Exchange Commission...http://www.fwcook.com/alert_letters/4-29-05-_Revised_12-18-07_%20Summary-of-FASB-Statement... Overview: SEC Adopts Significant Changes to Rules 144 and 145 (PDF)- (Found July 5, 2008 ) Excerpt: "In a nutshell, these amendments . . . reduce to six months the minimum holding period for resales of 'restricted securities' of 'reporting companies' (non-reporting companies will continue to be subject to a one-year minimum holding period) and, after the applicable holding period, non-affiliates will be able to resell without concern for virtually any of the requirements currently imposed on sellers of restricted securities. Although contemplated when the Amendments were...http://www.winston.com/siteFiles/publications/144_Client_Briefing_2007_(Revised)-FINAL.pdf |