Category Archives: News

Split ISO Exercises between December and January

Minimize Taxes by Splitting Your ISO Exercise between December and January

Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) are eligible for favored tax treatment which means they are not subject to withholding tax upon exercise like NSOs. However, they are subject to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) if the size of your exercise is beyond the exemption limit. If you happen to be at the end of the current tax year and you just eclipse the exemption limit, then consider exercising just enough in December to stay below the limit. Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) are eligible for favored tax treatment While exercising the rest in January of next year to take advantage of a fresh exemption limit. However, 409A updates to the Fair Market Value of your stock are often triggered at the end of a year so waiting until January could result in a higher FMV on your deferred exercise. That could mean triggering some taxes albeit delayed until the following April. If that is a concern, ask company officials about when they plan to do a 409A update since most startups only do them following new rounds of financing.

See this link for more ways to save money on stock options. Feel free to contact the ESO Fund for assistance in funding your stock option exercise while not having to face the financial risk of investing in a startup.

Why You Should Negotiate Your Stock Option Grant

Stock option grants come hand in hand with working for private, venture backed companies and are often the most lucrative of the incentives offered  - yes even more than catered lunch and cold brew . However, one of the biggest questions faced by prospective new hires is if the equity package on the table is a fair one. Unfortunately, unlike salary information that is democratized through popular websites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn, there is no public repository of equity grant informati

Exercise ISOs in January to Save Money

When is the best time to exercise ISOs? ESO experts know the best time to exercise ISOs.

Incentive Stock Options (ISOs) are eligible for favored tax treatment which means they are not subject to withholding tax upon exercise like NSOs. However, they are subject to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) if the size of your exercise is beyond the exemp