ISOs Archives

Incentive Stock Options

ISOs are a tax-advantaged form of equity compensation offered by many startups and public companies. Unlike Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs), ISOs are not taxed as ordinary income at exercise under the regular tax system. But they can trigger the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), making your exercise timing and quantity critical decisions. A well-planned ISO exercise strategy, timed around your income, AMT exposure, and company outlook, can preserve a significant portion of your upside. Browse the posts below to understand how ISOs work and how to make smarter exercise decisions.

OpenAI IPO Timeline and Valuation Tracker: Latest News for Employees

The OpenAI IPO timeline has shifted – again. This tracker covers the confirmed $852 billion valuation, S-1 filing status, the reported 2027 delay, and what OpenAI employees should actually do about their equity right now.

Jul 8, 2026|Categories: Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

Anthropic IPO: The California Tax Guide Every Bay Area Employee Needs Before October

If you work at Anthropic and live in the Bay Area, the October IPO isn't just a federal tax event. California's treatment of tech IPO income is among the most aggressive in the country – and several moves that work at the federal level either don't work here or actively backfire.

Jul 7, 2026|Categories: Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

The SpaceX Lock-Up Period: What to Do Before Your Shares Unlock

SpaceX is finally public. Your shares are right there on your brokerage screen. And you can't touch them yet. Make the most of the SpaceX lock-up period before it expires – so expiration day feels like a formality, not a fire drill.

Jul 2, 2026|Categories: Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

Anthropic ISO Exercise Strategy: Should Employees Act Before the IPO?

If you're an Anthropic employee holding early-vintage ISOs, the window to exercise before the IPO is open right now – and it won't be this clean again. This guide provides the framework, the math, and the checklist you need.

Jul 1, 2026|Categories: Alternative Minimum Tax, Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

How to Choose a Financial Advisor for SpaceX Equity in NYC

The SpaceX IPO created a wave of self-described equity specialists. Most of them aren't. This guide walks you through exactly what to look for – fiduciary status, fee-only compensation, real ISO/AMT fluency, and the New York tax expertise that most national advisors simply don't have – so you can tell the difference before it costs you.

Jun 25, 2026|Categories: Alternative Minimum Tax, Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

Cursor Employee Equity: What the SpaceX Acquisition Means for Your Shares and Taxes

If you're a Cursor employee staring at your equity dashboard with equal parts excitement and low-grade panic right now – that's a completely rational response. The SpaceX acquisition is real, the numbers are large, and the tax questions are complicated. Here's what you actually need to know.

Jun 17, 2026|Categories: Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

SpaceX Equity and New York Taxes: What NYC-Area Employees Need to Know

If you hold SpaceX equity and live in the New York City area, the IPO is a New York tax event, not just a federal one. And New York, bless its ambitious fiscal heart, never met a capital gain it wanted to leave alone. You need to know this before the window opens.

Jun 10, 2026|Categories: Alternative Minimum Tax, Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

OpenAI IPO Equity: What Every OpenAI Employee Needs to Know

You spent years helping build the most valuable AI company in the world. The IPO is filed, the clock is running, and the decisions you make in the next few months will determine how much of that wealth you actually keep. This is the plain-English conversation your calendar keeps postponing.

Jun 9, 2026|Categories: Alternative Minimum Tax, ESPPs, Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

Mega backdoor Roth IRA: the ultimate guide for tech employees (who are tired of paying the IRS)

You've maxed your 401(k), the Roth IRA door is slammed shut (thanks, income limits), and the IRS seems very pleased with itself. But the mega backdoor Roth IRA offers a surprisingly powerful workaround – one that can unlock tens of thousands of dollars in additional tax-free retirement savings each year, if your employer's plan allows it.

Jun 8, 2026|Categories: ESPPs, Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

The Filing That Changes Everything: Your Anthropic IPO Employee Equity Survival Guide

The S-1 is in. The banks are circling. October is closer than you think. If you're an Anthropic employee sitting on equity, this isn't a drill – and this is the guide your financial future deserves (no billable hours required).

Jun 3, 2026|Categories: Alternative Minimum Tax, Entrepreneurship, Financial Planning, ISOs, NSOs, RSUs|

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