Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement, is one of the principal tools taxpayers use to request a refund or abatement of certain penalties, additions to tax, interest, fees, or other amounts. But Form 843 is not just a form. The form itself is only the cover page. The substance of the request is usually the narrative: the factual chronology, legal basis, supporting documents, and explanation of why the IRS should remove or refund the amount at issue.

From a tax perspective, options are not simple. The tax result can turn on the type of option, the exercise price, the fair market value of the stock, the timing of exercise, the holding period, the employee’s alternative minimum tax exposure, and whether the company complied with technical plan and valuation rules.