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Comment by jcheng | Hacker News Reader

> A percentage taken from the increase of an amount every year, is more than the same percentage taken at the end

It sounds like you're describing a hypothetical tax on unrealized gains? Do you have a link to the Buffet letter?

No; just the difference between someone who gets a fixed number of shares and has to sell them (and pay the tax on them) that year, versus someone who is allowed to accumulate the shares and pay the tax at the end.

This may assume that there is more alpha in the shares than other investments you have access to, which is perhaps less true today. But it should probably be your position if you're CEO of the company...

All the Buffett letters are online, but I don't remember what year it was. If I get time I may find it and report back.

Why do you think they get to accumulate shares and pay tax at the end. If options Sundar will have the pay income when exercised, or if RSU, they will have to pay income taxes when granted.

If you want to research the tax imlications, the relevant term is PSU (Performance Stock Units), which is the form almost all of these CEO incentives take.

(edited) My bad, I meant to type "options" not "shares". You get to choose when to exercise options. When tax is incurred will vary according to your jurisdiction.

I'm fairly sure that Sundar Pinchai will have paid someone to research the tax implications before negotiating this deal.

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