Shares feels like double taxation to me. Taxes up front on that 28% the taxed capital gains when shares are sold, not to mention whatever your commission fee is at your brokerage.
Boris I do not believe this is correct as we sent in a W9. This identifies us as taxpayers and would provide info to send 1099s which would require us to pay on our own.
Boris, as to LTCG, if we were to receive shares of a publicly traded company it would tie to the time line of this investment which meets the LTCG rule. If you and your spouse make over $244k in 2019 then its 20% upon the sale of that asset. If your brokrage account is a Roth where your CUSIPs reside then you pay zero tax as you paid that tax upon the purchase. I hope that helps