[toast0]

If you're eligible to exercise any options, I would be concerned; you can't make an informed decision without knowing the tax consequences. You might want to phrase it as you'd like to exercise some options, but you need to know the 409a valuation so you know how much AMT you can afford.

If you're not yet vested and there's no early exercise provision, you don't need to be super concerned, since you can't take any action anyway; but I would be sure you're getting the compensation that you want in a form you can value (salary).

[shostack]

Would I be accurate in restating your last point as "if they won't tell you what the shares are valued at or how big the pool is, and they just give you a percentage, you have no clue how much the equity is actually worth?"

[toast0]

Yes, exactly.