SEC Keeps Stock Option Paperwork Rule: Yawn-Worthy Bureaucracy Alert
Published Date: 4/13/2026
Notice
Summary
The SEC is asking to keep a rule that helps private companies share important info about employee stock options without filing tons of paperwork. This mainly affects companies issuing these options and costs them about $36,000 a year for outside help. You’ve got until May 14, 2026, to share your thoughts on this extension!
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Private Issuers' Stock‑Option Info Rule
If your private company issues compensatory employee stock options under Rule 12h-1(f), you must give option holders certain information either by physical or electronic delivery or by telling them it is available on a password-protected website; that information is mandatory but is not filed with the SEC. The SEC estimates 40 responses annually, with 0.5 hours of internal work per response (20 hours total) and 1.5 hours of outside professional work per response at $600 per hour, for an estimated $36,000 in annual external costs.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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