[Kiro]

I'm talking about employee stock options. Google "personaloptioner". When you exercise the options and get stocks you need to pay taxes on the difference between the strike price and the market value, even if you have no possibility to sell the stocks (if the company is private for example).

[danans]

> When you exercise the options and get stocks ... even if you have no possibility to sell the stocks

Why exercise the options if you have no ability to sell them? The risk of unexercised options is totally on the employer who granted the options.

For the employee, holding the option itself is likely a lower risk strategy than exercising and holding the illiquid stock.

[Kiro]

You have an expiration date. I had to exercise or I would lose them.