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The ESOP Association

ESOP Association Resources

Nov. 14
I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I make the statement “ESOPs are unique”.  An ESOP is not like other privately held companies, and it’s definitely not like a publicly traded company.  This is because ESOP employees are not just employees, they are also owners.  Owners expect (and deserve) different things from their company and likewise, the company should expect a different level of engagement when sharing ownership.
Nov. 09
SYNTHETIC EQUITY SERIES – PART THREE OF THREE
This is the third in a series of articles covering components of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) Section 409(p) test, which is specific to S-corporation ESOPs.  The first article discussed the items required for the test, one of which is information on any outstanding synthetic equity awards.  The second article defined and described common forms of synthetic equity for 409(p) purposes.  We recommend that you review these two articles before proceeding, as this article presumes knowledge of the concepts discussed in them.
Nov. 07
Happy Employee Ownership Month! It’s a special time for a special community.  Employee owners nationwide celebrate with tremendous pride. It’s a great time to reflect on the 11 million-plus employee owners in America who not only enjoy the individual benefits that accompany employee ownership, but also the contributions to communities and the social good that employee ownership adds.  We know we have a cause worth celebrating but also one – in the very nature of employee ownership – worth sharing.   
Nov. 02
From Oregon to Massachusetts and from Minnesota to Florida, TEA’s Chapter team logged some serious miles in October, hosting chapter and regional fall conferences across America.
Chapter News, Resource
Dec. 31
Recap of the year’s events, including the addition of eight new members, and a look at the Annual Winter Conference and the launch of the new Fall Summit.
ESOP Blog, Resource
Dec. 21
Two organizations with significant pull in the business world are focusing their attention on the benefits that ESOPs and employee ownership can bring to disadvantaged communities.
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and the Rockefeller Foundation have been working jointly to explore and promote the use of ESOPs and employee ownership in Qualified Opportunity Zones. These 761 zones include distressed communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.
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.