ISO early exercise and AMT cash planning
Early exercise vs wait, AMT cash before you exercise, modeled with a dedicated CPA and CFP.
ISO AMT planning models the alternative minimum tax and cash you may need before you exercise incentive stock options, including whether early exercise beats waiting. Nino's CPA and CFP team runs those scenarios inside one flat-fee plan for high earners with equity so exercise day is not a blind click.
$500 off through August 31 when you start a one-year membership. Every plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Who this is for
- Employees with incentive stock options approaching a large bargain element
- People deciding whether to early-exercise (and file 83(b) when required) or wait
- Households that need a cash plan for AMT before they exercise, not after Form 6251
What you get
- Exercise scenarios that estimate regular tax and AMT before you commit
- A cash map for AMT so you know what to hold liquid before exercise day
- Guidance on early exercise vs wait, holding for qualifying disposition, and disqualifying dispositions when cash is tight
- Year-round projections so ISO income stacks cleanly with salary and RSUs
How it maps to Nino plans
ISO and option tax guidance sits on Plus ($3,500/yr) and Ultra ($6,000+/yr). Core ($2,000/yr) includes equity optimization for simpler setups; once ISOs and AMT are material, Plus is the usual starting point, and Ultra fits executives and founders with advanced equity needs. See pricing.
Full plan details on pricing . Meet the CFP and CPA team , or compare Nino to other services.
Decision kit
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Early exercise vs wait
Early exercise can start your capital-gains clock and, when paired with a timely 83(b) on unvested shares, can lock in a low bargain element. Waiting keeps cash in your pocket and avoids AMT until you are ready, but the bargain element can grow as FMV rises. The right call depends on strike vs FMV, cash available, grant expiration, and whether you can hold for the ISO qualifying periods. There is no universal default; model both paths for this tax year.
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AMT cash before you exercise
Exercising ISOs can create AMT even if you do not sell. Before you click exercise, estimate the bargain element, your AMT exemption and phaseout, and how much cash you would need if AMT exceeds regular tax. Then size the exercise (or a partial exercise) to cash you actually have, including other income like RSU vests in the same year. Surprises usually come from skipping this step, not from the IRS inventing a new rule.
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When a disqualifying disposition is the cash move
Selling ISO shares before the holding periods (two years from grant and one year from exercise) can turn the bargain element into ordinary income and reduce or remove the AMT preference. That can be the right move when cash for AMT is short. Model it before you sell; it is a planning choice, not a failure of the ISO.
Frequently asked questions
Model your next ISO exercise
Book a free 25-minute demo. We'll walk through early exercise vs wait, AMT cash needs, and which plan tier fits your grants. Start a one-year membership by August 31, 2026 and get $500 off your first year. Every plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Book a demo See $500 off through August 31