Your stock options shouldn't expire
because you can't afford them
Exercising stock options can require cash for both the strike price and taxes before the shares are liquid. Optioning makes those inputs, assumptions, and potential next steps easier to understand.
The problem we're solving
Exercise cost
The strike price may be due long before a liquidity event.
Tax exposure
ISO and NSO exercises can create different tax obligations.
Time pressure
A post-employment deadline can compress a complex decision.
Existing financing providers use different company, grant, and eligibility criteria. We built Optioning so an employee can start with a transparent calculation and, if useful, submit a financing inquiry without mistaking it for an approval or binding offer.
What we believe
Transparency first
We show you the math before you apply. Our free tax calculator keeps its key assumptions visible and provides an educational estimate to review with a qualified tax professional.
Built for more employees
You should be able to understand the economics of your options before knowing whether any financing structure is available.
Terms before promises
A financing inquiry is not an approval or offer. Any available structure, recourse terms, pricing, and eligibility must appear in definitive documents before a customer decides.
Clear assumptions
We separate calculator estimates, potential financing examples, and binding terms so each can be evaluated on its own merits.
How it started
Optioning was born from a personal frustration: watching talented engineers and operators leave startups and forfeit hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity because they couldn't come up with the cash to exercise — plus the tax bill that comes with it.
The existing solutions weren't built for most people. They can use company, grant-size, jurisdiction, and other eligibility requirements. We set out to build a clearer starting point: education, transparent tools, and a structured inquiry for employees facing this decision.
See what your options are worth
Start with our free stock option tax calculator — no signup required.