Equity Compensation Calculator
Model the exercise cost, spread, AMT exposure, and after-tax value of vested ISO, NSO, or RSU equity under a simple planning scenario.
Last updated: 2026-03-28
Equity planning inputs
Enter your values
Enter the vested share count, pricing assumptions, and your estimated ordinary tax bracket to model exercise cost and after-tax value.
After-tax value
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Enter your equity award details to estimate exercise cost, tax drag, and the modeled after-tax value at exit.
Calculation History(0)
Example calculations
Tap an example to prefill the calculator with sample values.
ISO with AMT pressure
1,000 vested shares, low strike, higher bracket
A common private-company planning case where the spread is meaningful and the AMT question matters more than the grant paperwork.
Result: Shows the up-front cash needed to exercise plus the estimated AMT drag before any liquidity arrives.
NSO at liquidity
Immediate-tax option exercise with a tighter spread
Useful when you mainly want a clean estimate of exercise cost, wage-style tax, and modeled sale proceeds.
Result: Highlights how much of the option spread turns into ordinary-income tax the moment you exercise.
RSU vest and hold
RSU value plus a smaller later capital-gains layer
Useful for employees trying to separate vesting tax from any later upside if the stock keeps appreciating.
Result: Separates the vesting-value tax hit from the later price appreciation estimate.
How the equity estimate works
The model separates exercise cost from tax drag. NSOs treat the exercise spread as ordinary income, RSUs treat the vesting value as ordinary income, and ISOs show a separate AMT-style estimate instead of regular wage tax at exercise.
After that, the calculator layers a simple later capital-gains estimate on any additional appreciation between the current fair market value and your expected sale price. The result is a planning snapshot, not a substitute for your company paperwork or a tax return.
Equity compensation FAQ
Use this as a planning lens, then validate the assumptions with your plan documents and tax advisor.
Does this replace tax advice for stock options or RSUs?
No. This is a planning model, not tax advice. Employer withholding, state sourcing, AMT credits, holding periods, and company-specific plan rules can change the real result materially.
Why does the ISO path show AMT even though ISO exercise is not regular income?
ISOs generally do not create regular taxable income at exercise, but the exercise spread can still matter for alternative minimum tax planning. This calculator shows that spread as a simple AMT-style estimate so you can size the cash risk before liquidity.
How is the capital-gains rate chosen here?
The calculator infers a simplified long-term capital-gains rate from the ordinary bracket you enter. It is meant for rough planning only and should be replaced with your actual tax assumptions before acting.
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</script> Related tools
Move from this equity snapshot into tax, dilution, and longer-horizon planning tools.
Build a cleaner equity decision memo
Use this estimate to size the cash, tax, and dilution questions before you decide whether to exercise, hold, or sell.
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Important planning disclaimer
This calculator is a simplified equity-compensation planning tool. It does not know your employer withholding rules, state tax treatment, AMT credit carryforwards, post-termination exercise windows, 83(b)/83(i) elections, or blackout restrictions.
The ordinary-income and AMT logic is intentionally conservative and high level. Use your grant documents, Form 3921 or employer statements, and qualified tax advice before acting on any result.