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Secfi advances the cost of exercising — strike price, AMT, or both.
Trusted by employees of some of the best companies
Every estimate includes a calculated exit price. Above it, your tax savings exceed the financing cost. Below it, your exposure is limited to the shares securing the financing. Your savings, your credit, your house: never in the deal.
Exercise and hold 12+ months and gains convert to long-term treatment — roughly 37% instead of roughly 58% for a California filer. The clock doesn't start until you exercise.*
Leave your company and your ISOs convert to NQSOs, then typically expire within 90 days. The tax difference can be steep: 0–29% as ISOs vs 0–52% as NQSOs in California.
You're taxed on the spread between strike and 409A fair market value. The 409A rises as the company matures — often more than once a year. Exercising before an increase means a lower 409A at the time of exercise, which could mean potentially lower tax on that spread. Every increase you wait through raises your tax basis.
Exercising ISOs may trigger AMT — but AMT paid becomes a credit against future tax liability. It's recoverable.
Share your equity details
1-2 daysEnter your equity details. We model your exercise cost, tax exposure, and exit threshold.
Get your estimate
1-2 daysSee all the numbers in one estimate, including where financing pays off, and fees.
Exercise
1-2 daysGet cash to exercise your options, including all related taxes and fees.
Repay at liquidity
Upon exitSettlement happens upon exit, we calculate the total amount owed. Including the advance rate and equity share.
Secfi advances the capital and takes a share of the value at exit. Our largest fee is tied to that exit value — when your shares appreciate, we both benefit. If they don't, our exposure is the shares, the same as yours.
$800M
financed**
62K
users**
175
companies with financed employees**
How do I avoid paying AMT when exercising ISOs?
You can potentially avoid paying AMT by only exercising up to your AMT crossover point - Which is the number of options can exercise in a given tax year without triggering AMT. The timing of the exercise, the spread between the stike price of your options and the current FMV and the quantity of ISO options you’re looking to exercise are the main levers to determine this.
What is the AMT crossover point and how is it calculated?
The AMT crossover is the gap between your current income and the threshold at which your AMT liability would exceed your regular tax bill. It determines how many ISOs you can exercise tax-free in a given year.
Do ISO exercises always trigger AMT?
No — only if the spread across your exercises pushes your AMT liability above your regular tax bill. Smaller exercises or exercising ISO options with a smaller spread can allow you to staying below your crossover point so AMT will not be owed.
How do I know if I’ll owe AMT before I exercise?
AMT depends on your spread, your total income, your filing status, deductions, and state — which is why generic calculators often get it wrong. A complete estimate needs your full financial picture.