Should you exercise your options?
Enter your details to see the tax implications and compare strategies for your stock options.
1 Your Options
0 vested
2 Your Situation
How many options to exercise?
Adjust the slider to see how exercising different amounts affects your taxes.
✓ Exercise up to X options to stay below the AMT threshold
Cash to exercise
$0
Options × strike price
ISO spread (paper gain)
$0
Options × (FMV − strike)
Tax Breakdown
How exercising affects your taxes this year.
Step 1: Your Regular Tax
ISOs don't add to your regular income. This is what you'd owe anyway.
Step 2: AMT Calculation
AMT is a parallel tax system. For AMT purposes, the ISO spread counts as income.
Step 3: What You Actually Owe
You pay whichever is higher: regular tax or AMT.
This is a simplified estimate. State taxes, other AMT adjustments, and credits are not included.
Your Timeline
Possible Strategies
This calculator is for educational purposes only
- • These are estimates based on 2024 federal tax law
- • State taxes (including state AMT in CA, IA, MN, CO) are not included
- • Other AMT adjustments and credits are not calculated
- • Your actual tax liability may differ significantly
Please consult a qualified tax professional before making any decisions about exercising your stock options.
Want to learn more about ISOs and exercise strategies?
Read the Complete ISO Guide