Hazel Received 20 NQOs (Each Option Gives Her the Right

question 27

Essay

Hazel received 20 NQOs (each option gives her the right to purchase 10 shares of stock for $7 per share)at the time she started working, when the stock price was $14 per share. Now that the share price is $20 per share, she intends to exercise all of her options. If Hazel holds the shares for two years after exercise and sells them when the market price is $25, how much gain will Hazel recognize on the sale and how much tax will she pay, assuming her marginal tax rate is 37 percent?

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Definitions:

Unemployment Taxes

Taxes imposed on employers by the government to fund unemployment insurance programs.

Taxable Wage Base

The maximum amount of an employee's earnings that are subject to certain taxes, such as Social Security tax, within a given tax year.

Employer's Portion

The part of employment taxes and benefits that the employer is responsible for paying, separate from employee withholdings.

Taxes

Mandatory financial contributions imposed by a government on individuals, corporations, and other entities to fund public expenditures.