Tax Consequences Clause Example from Business Contracts

Tax Consequences. Set forth below is a brief summary as of the date of this Option of some of the federal tax consequences of exercise of this Option and disposition of the Shares. This summary is necessarily incomplete, and the tax laws and regulations are subject to change. The optionee should consult a tax advisor before exercising this option or disposing of the shares. (a) Exercise of ISO. If this Option qualifies as an ISO, there will be no regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of the Optio...n, although the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price will be treated as an adjustment to the alternative minimum tax for federal tax purposes and may subject the Optionee to the alternative minimum tax in the year of exercise. (b) Exercise of ISO Following Disability. If the Optionee ceases to be an Employee as a result of a disability that is not a total and permanent disability, as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, to the extent permitted on the date of termination, the Optionee must exercise an ISO within three months of such termination for the ISO to be qualified as an ISO. (c) Exercise of Nonstatutory Stock Option. There may be a regular federal income tax liability upon the exercise of a Nonstatutory Stock Option. The Optionee will be treated as having received compensation income (taxable at ordinary income tax rates) equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price. If Optionee is an Employee or a former Employee, the Company may be required to withhold from Optionee's compensation or collect from Optionee and pay to the applicable taxing authorities an amount in cash equal to a percentage of this compensation income at the time of exercise, and may refuse to honor the exercise and refuse to deliver Shares if such withholding amounts are not delivered at the time of exercise. (d) Disposition of Shares. In the case of an NSO, if Shares are held for at least one year, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will be treated as long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes. In the case of an ISO, if Shares transferred pursuant to the Option are held for at least one year after exercise and at least two years after the Date of Grant, any gain realized on disposition of the Shares will also be treated as long-term capital gain for federal income tax purposes. If Shares purchased under an ISO are disposed of within one year after exercise or two years after the Date of Grant, any gain realized on such disposition will be treated as compensation income (taxable at ordinary income rates) to the extent of the difference between the Exercise Price and the lesser of (i) the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of exercise, or (ii) the sale price of the Shares. Different rules may apply if the Shares are subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture (within the meaning of Section 83) at the time of purchase. Any additional gain will be taxed as capital gain, short-term depending on the period that the ISO Shares were held. (e) Notice of Disqualifying Disposition of ISO Shares. If the Option granted to Optionee herein is an ISO, and if Optionee sells or otherwise disposes of any of the Shares acquired pursuant to the ISO on or before the later of (i) the date two years after the Date of Grant, or (ii) the date one year after the date of exercise, the Optionee shall immediately notify the Company in writing of such disposition. Optionee agrees that Optionee may be subject to income tax withholding by the Company on the compensation income recognized by the Optionee. View More