벤처기업 성과조건부 주식 활성화를 위한 세제지원 도입방안

Performance-conditional stocks are attracting attention as a means of recruiting top talent for venture companies as an alternative to stock options. The revision of the Venture Business Act provided a way for venture companies without dividendable profits to use performance-conditional stocks. However, special taxation for performance-conditional stocks were not introduced. The US and UK have special taxation for performance-conditional stocks. Meanwhile, Korea provides special taxation only for stock options, which undermines vertical equity between stock options and performance-conditional stocks. We conducted a survey targeting venture business executives. 67.9% of the venture businesses responded that they would be willing to use performance-conditional stocks if special taxation for performance-conditional stocks is introduced. We propose the following three tax special treatment plans. First, performance-conditional stock profits are exempt up to 5 million won per year for each individual and 12.5 million won cumulatively for each venture company. Second, it allows income tax on performance-conditional stock profits to be paid in installments over up to five years. Third, profits from performance-conditional stocks can be taxed early at the time of issuance of performance-conditional stocks, not at the time of vesting. In addition, profits from performance-conditional stocks are not taxed as earned income at the time of vesting, but can be collectively taxed by adding them to capital gains when transferring stocks in the future. If these three special taxation provisions are newly established, a total tax expenditure of 3.4 billion won is expected over the next five years.