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Full-Service ESOP Advisory Firm & Third-Party Administrator

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For Every Phase of Your Employee Stock Ownership Plan Lifecycle

Who do you want to own your business next?

An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a uniquely flexible business transition tool, employee ownership vehicle, and qualified retirement plan that allows owners of closely held companies to access and enjoy the wealth they’ve built while continuing to manage their business.

When you establish an ESOP trust, you:

  • Generate your own buyer
  • Receive fair market value
  • Stay involved in managing the company as you prefer
  • Exit on your terms & your timeline
  • Ensure a succession plan that supports your vision
man contemplating an ESOP
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Employee Stock Ownership Plan participant
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If you’re exploring employee ownership, consult with a proven ESOP advisory firm

Unlike many other ESOP advisors, ESOP Partners takes a holistic approach to consulting and administration. Tap into decades of experience helping business owners choose the exit strategy that best fits their individual, financial, and business needs.

Leverage our expertise to structure your ESOP sale for maximum net proceeds, trust our third-party administration services to maintain regulatory compliance, and look to our ESOP consulting services to maintain a financially sound retirement plan that supports continued growth.

ESOPs offer business owners a flexible, individualized option to:

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Access liquidity

Access liquidity
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Continue growing the business

Continue growing the business
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Control their own exit and succession plan

Control their own exit and succession plan
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Attract, retain, and reward employees

Attract, retain, and reward employees
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Structure the sale to maximize net proceeds

Structure the sale to maximize net proceeds

But successful ESOPs don’t just happen — they require expert planning and support, from initial feasibility study through annual valuations and employee stock repurchases.

The ESOP advisory firm you choose matters, and a decision as important as your exit strategy deserves the care and consideration of ESOP consultants who listen attentively, offer individualized advice, and truly specialize in employee stock ownership plans.

ESOP consultants you can count on for every need along the way

An employee stock ownership plan is more than an exit strategy, an employee retirement benefit, a business culture development tool, or a tax-advantaged way of supporting company growth. By combining all these features, an ESOP can create transformative business opportunities.

The experts at ESOP Partners advise and guide businesses at every phase of the employee ownership process:

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Business owners
who are starting to formulate their exit strategy, and want to compare ESOPs with M&A or other third-party sale options.
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Selling shareholders
who need guidance establishing an ESOP trust, securing financing, and/or structuring the ESOP transaction for maximum net proceeds.
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ESOP companies
that need help with troubleshooting, regulatory compliance, plan corrections, and recordkeeping.
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Existing ESOPs
in search of best-of-class third-party administration (TPA) services.
esop-leaders
ESOP leaders
seeking sustainability studies to address future repurchase obligations, corporate structure changes, referrals to appropriate ESOP service professionals, etc.
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ESOP companies
that want to maximize the business impacts of ownership culture to recruit, retain, and reward employees.
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Established ESOPs
that need sustainability assessments, transaction consulting, termination guidance, and support.

Our comprehensive ESOP advisory, consulting, and administrative support services meet our clients’ needs throughout the full ESOP lifecycle:

Stage 1:
Explore Current State

  • No-Fee Preliminary ESOP Readiness Assessment
  • Consultation & Advice

Stage 2:
Evaluate

  • Feasibility Study
  • Comparative Analysis

Stage 3:
Prepare for Sale

  • Transaction Structuring Guidance
  • Establishing ESOP Trust
  • Securing a Lender
  • Educating Lenders, Institutions & Professional Service Providers

Stage 4:
Establish & Implement

  • ESOP Company Transactions
  • Plan Design & ERISA Compliance
  • Culture & Communications
  • Transaction Negotiation
  • “Quarterbacking” the ESOP Transaction
  • Benefit Analysis

Stage 5:
Administer

  • Record Keeping
  • Compliance Testing
  • IRS Filings
  • Distributions
  • Trust Accounting

Stage 6:
Sustain

  • Sustainability Studies
  • Sale Advisory
  • ESOP Termination Guidance & Support Services
  • Continuing Culture & Communications Services
  • Distribution Policy & Strategy

Is an ESOP right for you?

It’s free and easy to find out. Contact us to schedule your confidential, no-fee ESOP consultation today.

Free Readiness Assessment