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- Advocacy
The Employee Ownership Action Network (EOAN) is a free-to-join, grassroots advocacy movement for anyone with a stake in ensuring employee ownership continues to grow and thrive in the US.
Does that sound like you?
- Membership
What Our Members Have to Say
“Membership in The ESOP Association is vital to an ESOP owned company. The advocacy and education services are invaluable and are not duplicated by any other organization.”
-David Kelly, CFO at Acadian Ambulance Service Inc.
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Featured Event
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The Employee Owned Conference, attended annually by more than 2,000 employee-owners, thought leaders, and professional advisors, is the largest ESOP conference in the world.
Upcoming events
- Resources
The #EO Solution
The ESOP Association and Project Equity have partnered to create state -by-state data that amplifies employee ownership as a common sense way to preserve businesses, strengthen jobs and build a more resilient post-pandemic economy.
ESOP Association Resources
Forming an ESOP - A New Video Series on Business Succession Planning
Hear from ESOP companies in multiple different industries, and their seasoned advisors, about what an ESOP is and if it’s right for you.
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- About TEA
What is an ESOP?
An ESOP is a retirement plan—but also a way of living and running a company. For insights on both technical and cultural aspects of these plans—which provide benefits to employee owners, the company, the community, and exiting owners—and links to additional resources, see our web page titled What is an ESOP?
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The ESOP Association
ESOP Association Resources
Aug. 16
As part of President Biden’s legislative agenda, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 becomes law. Among the policies enacted, a new excise tax is imposed on stock repurchases – with bipartisan support, ESOPs were specifically excluded from this tax, protecting the ESOP structure that relies on stock repurchases and creating a new incentive to form ESOPs. ESOPs become eligible transactions under the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) loan program.
May. 24
The Main Street Employee Ownership Act is signed into the law, as part of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. The law makes it easier for small companies to use the Small Business Administration’s 7(a) program to finance a transition to an employee-owned business, such as an ESOP.
ESOP Surveys, Resource, Benefits, Company Size, Diversification
May. 16
This survey of ESOP Association corporate members, conducted every five years, offers unique insights—including aggregated data on company size, benefits, diversification, and industries—into the ESOP community.
Jun. 06
After a concerted effort, Congress and the Administration are persuaded to improve the 1996 Subchapter S ESOP Law, and beginning in 1998 it becomes allowable for Subchapter S Corporations to sponsor an ESOP. Previously, S-corporations could not sponsor ESOPs because qualified retirement plans could not own stock in the sponsoring company.