Tax on Non-qualified stock options (NSOs) exercise

Taxes
1

Hello everyone,

I’ve been working for a US based startup who now, as I’m leaving, is granting me the Non-qualified stock options (NSOs), which I will have limited time (~3months) to exercise. The amount I should pay for the exercise is around 17k (however their current values is much higher).

  1. Does anyone know if there is any tax to be paid on this kind of options? If so, is the taxation based on the exercise cost/value or the current value of the options? My understanding is that options acquired as part of employment, are assimilated to income, but I’m not sure and definitely not sure which amount is taxed.
  2. Does anyone has advice/experience on how to optimize eventual taxation?

Thanks

2

Hi,

Did you ever get an answer to these questions ?

3

No, not really unfortunately. And this comment is really timely because I’m getting closer to a deadline so I would really need:

  • either someone has direct knowledge or experience that can answer
  • someone who can point me to some good advisor I may ask (and pay)

Anyone? thanks