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South Carolina · iso amt

ISO exercises and AMT in South Carolina

South Carolina does not run a separate state AMT. Federal AMT still applies on your ISO bargain element; we walk through the interaction.

What South Carolina residents actually pay

South Carolina taxes ordinary income at a top marginal rate of 6.2%. RSU settlement value, NSO exercise spread, and ESPP discount income all count as ordinary wages for this purpose and flow through the state's normal brackets.

44% long-term cap-gains exclusion.

Federal AMT on the bargain element

Exercising ISOs and holding the shares creates AMT "preference income" equal to the spread between fair market value at exercise and your strike price. That's the bargain element. It doesn't show up on a W-2, and many people discover it only when their CPA calculates AMT in April.

Frequently asked

Does South Carolina tax RSU income the same as wages?
Yes. South Carolina treats RSU ordinary income as wages, taxable at the state's top marginal rate of 6.2%. Supplemental-wage federal withholding (22%, or 37% above $1M YTD) does not adjust for state withholding, so you often owe extra at filing.
What happens if I exercise ISOs while living in South Carolina?
South Carolina does not run a separate state AMT, so only federal AMT applies. You still need to model the bargain element carefully if you plan a cashless exercise-and-sell.
I moved to South Carolina from another state. Who taxes my vesting RSUs?
Most high-tax states (CA, NY, MA) source RSU ordinary income to workdays between grant and vest. If your grant pre-dates your South Carolina move, expect the old state to tax the portion of each tranche attributable to workdays earned there. South Carolina taxes the remainder.
Can I reduce South Carolina taxes by timing my RSU sales?
South Carolina gives preferential treatment to long-term capital gains. Holding RSU shares 12+ months past vest can produce both federal and state savings. Weigh concentration risk before using this as a reason to hold.

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