"I can exercise ISO stock options. I want to understand if doing so will subject me to the AMT."
Well, the simple "exercise" of an ISO doesn't subject you to anything. It's the exercise of the ISO coupled with not selling the stock before the end of the year that might, or might not, get you into AMT territory. If you think the stock price will hold up between the date of exercise and the end of the year then you might want to wait until mid-December, when you have a good handle on all your income and deductions and when tax calculators that incorporate the 2018 tax law changes will be available, to decide to sell or not.
The 2018 tax law makes it more unlikely that you would be subject to AMT as it dramatically increases the exemption amounts offset, somewhat, by the fact that AMT tax rates were not lowered while "regular tax" rates were. Other risk factors for falling into the AMT have also been adjusted but the net of all this - most likely - is that fewer taxpayers will be subject to the AMT under 2018 law then under the old law.
Tom Young
