2026 tax year · Illinois
RSU tax in Illinois
A $60,000 vest costs $2,970 in Illinois tax on top of the federal bill. And the federal share withheld is $2,970 short.
What a $60,000 vest actually costs in Illinois
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 |
| Illinois income tax on the vest | $2,970 |
| Total still to find | $5,940 |
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 | Illinois tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $90,000 | $13,200 | $13,764 | $564 | $2,970 |
| $160,000 | $13,200 | $14,570 | $1,370 | $2,970 |
| $260,000 | $13,200 | $20,630 | $7,430 | $2,970 |
How Illinois treats a vest
Illinois taxes a vest as ordinary income like any other wages, adding $2,970 on top of the federal bill for $60,000 of vesting stock.
If you moved during the vesting period, the income is split between the states you worked in across it: Days worked in each state / total days in vesting period x RSU income = each state's allocation That is worked out day by day, not by where you lived on the vesting date.
What the same vest costs around Illinois
Total income of $240,000 in the states Illinois borders:
| State | Its tax | vs Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $7,080 | −$4,800 |
| Kentucky | $8,400 | −$3,480 |
| Iowa | $9,120 | −$2,760 |
| Missouri | $11,350 | −$530 |
| Wisconsin | $12,333 | +$453 |
- Indiana would take $4,800 less, $7,080 against Illinois's $11,880.
- Kentucky would take $3,480 less, $8,400 against Illinois's $11,880.
- Iowa would take $2,760 less, $9,120 against Illinois's $11,880.
- Missouri would take $530 less, $11,350 against Illinois's $11,880.
- Wisconsin would take $453 more, $12,333 against Illinois's $11,880.
RSU questions in Illinois
Should I sell at vest?
Selling immediately raises the cash for the $5,940 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 Illinois 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.