Tax Center: ISO Withholding

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Articles (Jump to FAQs)

Stock Option Fundamentals (Part 3): Income Taxes And Withholding

Marilyn Renninger
Here's some advice for financial fitness: take stock of taxes before you exercise! When and how you exercise your stock options can have a major impact on how much tax and which taxes you'll pay.

IRS Guide To Auditing Techniques For Stock-Based Compensation

Internal Revenue Service
The IRS tips its hand on what its agents look for in audits related to all types of stock pay to ensure compliance, whether by corporations or executives.

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FAQs (Jump to articles)

UPDATED! Does the American Jobs Creation Act, particularly Section 409A on deferred compensation, affect my stock grants?

A number of tax law provisions and interpretations that may affect your stock grants occur in the wide-ranging American Jobs Creation Act (AJCA); the final regulations on deferred compensation under Section 409A, which adopt the...

What are the ISO withholding rules?

Unlike with NQSOs, there is no federal income tax withholding at...

Even though no withholding is required for ISOs, can I still pay the federal and state taxes when I make a cashless exercise?

While some companies might permit this if asked, the IRS may not allow the practice. The situation is far from clear, as the tax code...

Did Congress or the IRS change the withholding rules that apply to ISOs and ESPPs?

Fortunately, the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 specifically...

If I exercise ISOs and hold the stock (triggering AMT for the spread) or sell the stock in a disqualifying disposition, will I need to make estimated tax payments?

You need to pay enough tax during the year through withholding or estimated tax payments to avoid penalties and interest. The tax that has to be paid includes any AMT attributable to the exercise of ISOs or any ordinary income from a disqualifying disposition. In these ISO situations, your employer does not...

Are there any strategies for paying estimated taxes on income from stock options and restricted stock?

Estimated-tax periods end on the last days of March, May, August, and December, with payments due by the 15th (or the next business day) of the following month. If you are paying estimated taxes, one strategy is that just after the start of an estimated-tax period you can...

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