GEAR UP System
Services & programs
Rutlen Associates delivers solutions for your global challenges.
Rutlen Associates LLC offers a variety of services designed to deliver solutions for your global challenges. Our consulting is designed to apply our extensive experience and industry best practices to fit the needs of your organization.
Global Stock Plans
Our services are highly customized to our clients, here is a sample of the services and programs we can provide for you
Tax Rate Updates
Gear Up System: Are you overwhelmed with the requirements and constant updates impacting global equity plans? Confused by the different interpretations of legislative changes by different vendors? Not sure of the impact of the changes on your stock plans?
Get traction with the GEAR UP System.
The GEAR UP system summarizes relevant legislation and identifies what you need to do in response. We spend time upfront getting to know you and your plans. We will monitor appropriate legislation, judicial precedent, and action by the tax authorities. Then we meet with you quarterly to discuss the updates, how they might impact your plans, and what actions you should take. Of course, if there is any major change that requires immediate action, we will let you know as soon as possible.
The result will keep your plans current in a cost-effective manner.
"How To" Guide for Administering Global Stock Plans:
Whether you are a Fortune 100 company or a start-up, we can help you develop practical solutions to your challenging problems. We have a solid record of success that proves our approach works. It can work for you as well.
To learn more about the issues facing our clients and how we help, call today: (650) 868-9282.
Risk management for mobile employees with equity compensation: Are you complying with the various reporting and withholding requirements for mobile employees?
Rutlen Associates can help you quantify your risk and develop solutions for handling mobile employees with equity compensation.
We can utilize proprietary methodology to quantify your risk in monetary terms. We can help you understand your responsibilities regarding mobile employees and prepare for expanded enforcement by the tax authorities. We will help you make appropriate risk management decisions understanding all the facts.
Our approach is to quantify your risks given your company structure and demographics. We assess your system capabilities and prioritize risks. We develop an action plan to address the five critical issues for mobile employees: identifying the employee, processing the transaction, allocating the income, dealing with the employee's cash flow issues, and supporting the employee's compliance requirements.
The result will be a knowledgeable approach to managing your critical issues.
Tax Rate Updates: Are you keeping up to date with the tax withholding rates for equity?
With our tax rate update service, we help a company determine the appropriate withholding rates for their stock compensation income and update them quarterly. The company can determine those jurisdictions where they need tax withholding rates. Often companies will not need U.S. rates and look to us to provide only non-U.S. withholding rates, but that is not always the case.
Once the company has identified those jurisdictions, we send them a questionnaire asking about their plans, corporate structure, and recharges. The questionnaire is based on the jurisdictions they are in, so we can really hone in on the withholding requirements for the company. We review the questionnaire with the company so we can clarify any questions. Then we can provide appropriate withholding tax rates for each jurisdiction. Note that we will not calculate individual tax rates for employees just the most appropriate rate for which the company should apply at the time of the transaction; for some employees this tax rate may need to be reconciled through the local payroll. We send the company a questionnaire asking about their plans, corporate structure, recharges. The questionnaire is based on the jurisdictions they are in, so we can really hone in on the withholding requirements for the company. We review the questionnaire with the company so we can clarify any questions.
It can work for you, as well.
The ABC's of Expatriate Administration
How do you develop practical solutions for administering your global stock plans: Rutlen Associates will help you establish an internal and external infrastructure to support the technical requirements of administering global stock plans.
We can help you understand the risk of domestic and global noncompliance. We can break though the tax and legal jargon and develop solutions that work for stock administration, payroll, finance, and corporate tax. We will help you manage the risk of administrative short cuts against cost savings. We emphasize clear communication with your employees.
Our approach is to evaluate your current process and identify your capabilities — both technology and people resources. We apply best practices. And we help you implement the solutions.
The result will maximize your use of resources and minimize your exposure to risks.
International Assignments: how do you make your international assignments trouble-free?
Rutlen Associates can help you understand what your assignment package should include and handle all aspects of an international assignment.
We can make sure your assignment package is competitive. We can coordinate the physical relocation, find housing for your employee, and establish appropriate cost-of-living allowances. We can project the cost of the assignment to avoid unpleasant surprises to you and your employee. And if you desire we can provide introductions to other appropriate service providers.
Our approach is to bring our experience to your team. We will guide you through the process so you avoid any mis-steps.
The result will be an assurance that your international assignments are in experienced hands.
Process Improvement: How do you administer your mobile employee program with limited resources and system constraints?
Rutlen Associates can help you implement an efficient and effective infrastructure to support mobile employees, regardless of your program's size.
We can help you streamline your payroll process, especially with respect to payments made through accounts payable, such as tax equalization settlements, gross-ups, and direct payments to vendors. We can ensure tax advances are properly recorded and cleared. We can help you eliminate the time and cost of correcting errors. We make sure your infrastructure can support tax planning techniques.
Our approach is designed to evaluate your current process and highlight what isn't working. We review your system capabilities, both technology and people resources. We apply best practices to your needs.
The result will maximize your use of resources and minimize your exposure to risks.
Policy Design: How do you standardize your approach to international assignments?
Rutlen Associates can help you develop international assignment compensation and tax equalization policies, short-term assignment policies, and assignment letters.
We can help you clearly communicate with the assignee and set appropriate expectations. We can help you anticipate costs of the assignment and eliminate negotiation of special deals.
Our approach is to listen to your goals. We identify key decisions and help you make those decisions. We balance employee satisfaction with other considerations. Our recommendations are based on our significant experience with companies like you and industry best practices.
The result will be competitive, fair, and cost-effective.
Vendor Support: Does your vendor meet your expectations?
Rutlen Associates can help you select, manage, and transition to vendors.
We can help you eliminate surprises regarding service and eliminate miscommunications. We can select the best vendor for the project and minimize transition time and costs.
Our approach is to review your needs and specify vendor requirements. We meet with the vendor and your team to understand expectations and identify key deliverables. We develop a monitoring process and document expectations/deliverables.
The result will be no surprises and minimized vendor billings.