How Stock Options and RSUs Affect Your Tax Bill in 2026

Equity compensation is increasingly common outside of tech, but the tax rules are still confusing. In this episode, Lucas and Luna break down how Incentive Stock Options (ISOs), Non-Qualified Stock Options (NSOs), and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are taxed, when the AMT can sneak up on you, and what happens if you leave your job before shares vest. Lucas walks through a concrete example of an employee at a mid-sized company who received 1,000 NSOs at a $20 grant price and later exercised when the stock hit $50 — explaining the $30,000 bargain element, ordinary income treatment, and the one-year holding period for a capital gain. Luna highlights a common mistake: forgetting to file Form 3921 for ISOs. The episode closes with a practical checklist for anyone holding unvested equity in 2026. #StockOptions #RSUs #TaxStrategy #EquityCompensation #ISOs #NSOs #AMT #CapitalGains #Finance #Investing #EmployeeBenefits #TaxPlanning #WealthManagement #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TaxPodcast #PersonalFinance #Form3921 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo