Or worse. You can get screwed on AMT tax on fictional gains, you can also lose real upfront money if you exercise at a strike price early for long term cap gai

Or worse. You can get screwed on AMT tax on fictional gains, you can also lose real upfront money if you exercise at a strike price early for long term cap gains [almost always a bad move for common stock employees, but lots do it because of their borderline irrational hatred of the idea of taxes].