5 ms·

In the US, do you pay taxes when you exercise your option to buy the stock? For you example, say I exercise my option to by 1 at strike price of $100 in 2015.

by ewams 11y ago

In the US, do you pay taxes when you exercise your option to buy the stock? For you example, say I exercise my option to by 1 at strike price of $100 in 2015. I hold on to it and sell it in 2017 for the FMV of $1000. Do you only pay the capital gains tax of the $900 gain? Ignore state rules, just at the fed.

idunno246 11y ago
Lets say the fmv in 2015 is $500, and your strike price $100. If they are ISO, in 2015 you own no regular tax on it(thats the Incentivized). In 2017 you owe capital gains on $900. However, AMT(alternative minimum tax) doesnt recognize ISO. So in 2015, you have to calculate AMT, which $400 counts towards. This is basically a no-deduction(except a high standard deduction) flat tax, you potentially owe 26-35% on that 400. Even though you didnt sell anything - this is where people get screwed. So lets say you paid $100 in AMT. In 2017, you still owe capital gains tax on the whole $900, but you calculate AMT and claim the difference, up to $100, as a credit - the difference should be >100. You can actually claim this credit every year until previously paid AMT runs out, but most likely the difference wont be sizable enough until you sell.
- sokoloff 11y ago
  For completeness, on ewams' question: if the options are non-qualified (NQSO instead of ISO) and FMV at the time of exercise was $500, you would owe ordinary income tax on $400 ($500-$100) of income in 2015 tax year and long-term capital gains on $500 ($1000-$500) in 2017 tax year. Not a tax pro; this is not tax advice; yada yada.
  - ewams 11y ago
    Do companies actually change the type of options to NSO, ISO, RSA, RSU, etc? Or are they usually stagnant and non-negotiable? Thanks for responding folks.
    - sokoloff 11y ago
      ISOs have a set of specific qualities that must be present to be treated as ISOs. Most established companies issuing options will be NQSOs. RSUs are a lower volatility version, but with less flexibility in terms of timing (I can't delay "exercising" my RSUs in terms of timing when I recognize the income). You can make ISOs be treated approximately as NQSOs, but otherwise, you're generally getting from an established program and within a company, you don't have to be prepped to negotiate one type vs the other. Over time, the company will no longer be able to issue ISOs and may implement other programs, but they will tend to be "one type fits all" in general.

by ewams 11y ago

idunno246 11y ago

Lets say the fmv in 2015 is $500, and your strike price $100. If they are ISO, in 2015 you own no regular tax on it(thats the Incentivized). In 2017 you owe capital gains on $900. However, AMT(alternative minimum tax) doesnt recognize ISO. So in 2015, you have to calculate AMT, which $400 counts towards. This is basically a no-deduction(except a high standard deduction) flat tax, you potentially owe 26-35% on that 400. Even though you didnt sell anything - this is where people get screwed. So lets say you paid $100 in AMT. In 2017, you still owe capital gains tax on the whole $900, but you calculate AMT and claim the difference, up to $100, as a credit - the difference should be >100. You can actually claim this credit every year until previously paid AMT runs out, but most likely the difference wont be sizable enough until you sell.

sokoloff 11y ago
For completeness, on ewams' question: if the options are non-qualified (NQSO instead of ISO) and FMV at the time of exercise was $500, you would owe ordinary income tax on $400 ($500-$100) of income in 2015 tax year and long-term capital gains on $500 ($1000-$500) in 2017 tax year. Not a tax pro; this is not tax advice; yada yada.
- ewams 11y ago
  Do companies actually change the type of options to NSO, ISO, RSA, RSU, etc? Or are they usually stagnant and non-negotiable? Thanks for responding folks.
  - sokoloff 11y ago
    ISOs have a set of specific qualities that must be present to be treated as ISOs. Most established companies issuing options will be NQSOs. RSUs are a lower volatility version, but with less flexibility in terms of timing (I can't delay "exercising" my RSUs in terms of timing when I recognize the income). You can make ISOs be treated approximately as NQSOs, but otherwise, you're generally getting from an established program and within a company, you don't have to be prepped to negotiate one type vs the other. Over time, the company will no longer be able to issue ISOs and may implement other programs, but they will tend to be "one type fits all" in general.