The majority of the 2017 package was $2.6 million in option grants, an 86-percent increase from $1.4 million in that category in 2016. He also received $1.1 million in non-equity incentive compensation, compared to no such income the prior year. The increases were offset by a sharp drop in stock awards which fell to $1.1 million, down from $2.5 million.

The rest of the named executives were first timers. John D. Palmer, principal financial and accounting officer, who received $398,494.  He went on the report in place of former CFO Eric Emans, who left during the year.

Robert D. Oros, CEO of H.D. Vest, was paid $2.2 million. Nearly half of that was slightly more than $1 million options awards. He also received $449,998 in stock awards and also was paid a base salary of $308,654.

Sanjay Baskaran, president of TaxAct, received $2.2 million in compensation in 2017. The two major components were stock grants of $749,987 and option grants of $741,528. Chief legal counsel and secretary Ann Bruder earned $1.36 million with $349,999 in stock grants and $350,962 in options grants as the two largest elements.

Bob Scott

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Bob Scott has provided information to the tax and accounting community since 1991, first as technology editor of Accounting Today, and from 1997 through 2009 as editor of its sister publication, Accounting Technology. He is known throughout the industry for his depth of knowledge and for his high journalistic standards.  Scott has made frequent appearances as a speaker, moderator and panelist and events serving tax and accounting professionals. He  has a strong background in computer journalism as an editor with two former trade publications, Computer+Software News and MIS Week and spent several years with weekly and daily newspapers in Morris County New Jersey prior to that.  A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in journalism, Bob is a native of Madison, Ind