A quick glance at the results of the mid-term elections might leave one feeling that the ESOP community will face challenging days ahead. Certainly the retirement and defeat of key ESOP advocates in Congress—primarily in the House, where tax laws originate—pose a challenge. But there is good news too.
The "Bad" News
First, let’s look at the more challenging news.
We will lose some crucial, long-time ESOP Advocates next year.
The ESOP Association
ESOP Association Resources
Resource, ESOP Report, Legal Update, Ownership Advantage, Washington Report, Economic Performance Survey, Valuation, Insufficient Assets, Employee Ownership Month
Nov. 01
Members of The ESOP Association and the public show even greater interest in celebrating Employee Ownership Month.
Chapter News, Resource
May. 31
Chapter ESOP Company of the Year; Chapter Employee Owner of the Year.
ESOP Blog, Resource
May. 18
On May 10, the prestigious Aspen Institute held a panel discussion on employee ownership that was attended by individuals and groups involved in policy making and thought leadership. The ESOP Association assisted in gathering potential speakers.
The event featured a visit from Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), and a four-person panel representing corporate members of The ESOP Association. The panelists included:
The event featured a visit from Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), and a four-person panel representing corporate members of The ESOP Association. The panelists included:
Resource, Press Releases
May. 11
The ESOP Association celebrates a new law that will help businesses better understand and pursue options for becoming employee owned. The law—the Main Street Employee Ownership Act—seeks to make better use of existing programs offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to companies considering an employee owned model, such as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Resource, ESOP Report, Legal Update, Ownership Advantage, Washington Report, President's Page, ESOP Communication Committee, Fitz-Gerald
May. 01
One ESOP bill passes in the House, another is introduced in the Senate.
ESOP Blog, Resource
Mar. 14
For the second year in a row, corporate members of The ESOP Association appear to be managing their expenses extremely well, with resulting positive effects on profits and stock value.
Resource, ESOP Report, Legal Update, Ownership Advantage, Washington Report, President's Page, Velazquez, Chabot, Minor Beneficiaries
Mar. 01
Pro-ESOP bill H.R. 5236 is passed quickly, unanimously by House committee.
ESOP Blog, Resource
Feb. 28
In this, our final installment on common criticisms of ESOPs—and why they are wrong—we’ll look at the assertion that ESOPs are not real ownership.
According to cynics, ESOPs are “fake” ownership plans. In “real” ownership, they argue, the owners control their assets by determining such things as who runs the company, who sits on the Board of Directors, when major corporate decisions are made that might impact the future of the company, and so on.
But ESOPs are true ownership.
According to cynics, ESOPs are “fake” ownership plans. In “real” ownership, they argue, the owners control their assets by determining such things as who runs the company, who sits on the Board of Directors, when major corporate decisions are made that might impact the future of the company, and so on.
But ESOPs are true ownership.
ESOP Blog, Resource
Feb. 14
I often hear three criticisms about ESOPs: The second criticism is that ESOPs are a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Cynics say the tax breaks provided to ESOPs are money losers because the majority of American taxpayers pay higher rates to make up for the cost of ESOP tax benefits.
But anyone who says that must not have done very well in elementary school when they learned basic math. ESOPs offer great returns on tax incentives.
Cynics say the tax breaks provided to ESOPs are money losers because the majority of American taxpayers pay higher rates to make up for the cost of ESOP tax benefits.
But anyone who says that must not have done very well in elementary school when they learned basic math. ESOPs offer great returns on tax incentives.