how incentive stock options isos work
stock options are issued or granted by a company that sets their price called the strike price this is typically about the value of the shares at the time isos are issued on the grant date and employees exercise their right to buy the options on the exercise date once the options are exercised the employee can either sell the stock immediately or wait to do so unlike nonstatutory options the offering period for isos is always 10 years after which the options expire 2