How to avoid AMT when exercising ISOs
You can usually exercise a meaningful number of ISOs each year with zero AMT. The trick is sizing the exercise.
Exercise up to the crossover
Compute the exercise size at which tentative minimum tax equals regular tax and stay just under it. Repeat every January to spread a large position over several years.
Exercise early or when the spread is small
AMT is driven by the spread, not the share count. Exercising right after a grant or right after a down-round 409A can move a large position at almost no AMT cost.
Disqualify on purpose
Exercising and selling in the same calendar year turns the ISO into a disqualifying disposition: ordinary income instead of AMT. Sometimes paying ordinary tax on cash you actually received beats AMT on paper gains.
Educational content, not tax advice. Your outcome depends on your grant documents, income and state. Equity Tax Engine models your actual position — join the waitlist.