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The ESOP Association

ESOP Association Resources

Mar. 14
Washington, DC, March 14, 2022 - The ESOP Association and American Benefits Council jointly filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in support of the belief that ESOP plans need, and have, the ability to require individual arbitration to resolve individual participant disputes.  A previous District Court ruling has the potential to eliminate individual arbitration, which would dramatically increase the litigation costs for companies with employee defined-contribution retirement plans, such as ESOPs and 401(k)s. 
Mar. 01
Des Moines Iowa, March 1, 2022 –Today Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds returned to Library Binding Services (LBS Inc.), a 100% employee-owned business, to sign into law legislation to eliminate state taxes on retirement income, including taxes on Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) distributions.  This important change has the power to motivate more Iowa business owners to sell their businesses to their employees as a business succession plan. 
Mar. 22
Secretary Provides Responses to ESOP Questions During Confirmation Process
Mar. 11
What value does control bring in an ESOP transaction or annual valuation? This brief offers discussion and analysis on this important topic.
This brief was updated in March 2021.
ESOP Brief, Dividends, 404(k), Resource
Dec. 20
There are various tax incentives to encourage companies to consider an ESOP. This Brief discusses an employer’s ability to use tax deductible funds to service ESOP debt and the advantages of deductible cash dividends.
ESOP Brief, Distributions, Put Option, Resource
Dec. 20
A guide to the rules surrounding ESOP distributions including an overview of The Put Option.
ESOP Brief, Repurchase Obligation, Resource
Dec. 20
Both S corporation and C corporation ESOP companies must be prepared to pay cash equal in value to stock in a participant’s account, per ERISA distributions rules.
ESOP Brief, Repurchase Obligation, Redeem, Recycle, Opportunity Cost, Resource
Dec. 20
This ESOP Brief introduces the concept of opportunity cost and the implications for share price when private companies devote resources to fund repurchase obligations.
ESOP Brief, Repurchase Obligation, Valuation, Recycle, Redeem, Resource
Dec. 20
This ESOP Brief explains how an ESOP company’s repurchase obligation should be understood and managed, and how the repurchase obligation associated with the ESOP should be reflected in the valuation.
ESOP Brief, Leveraged ESOPs, Convertible Stock, Financing, Resource
Dec. 20
How to use convertible preferred stock in an ESOP.