Employee Stock Ownership Plan Answer Book covers the many regulations, interpretations, rulings, and cases that seek to interpret the laws governing the design, administration, and operation of ESOPs. This practical manual focuses on the nuts and bolts of ESOP design and mechanics so that professionals can find new and creative uses for the ESOP model. Employee Stock Ownership Plan Answer Book is written in simple, straightforward language and avoids technical jargon, and includes citations of authority if additional research is required. Employee Stock Ownership Plan Answer Book has been completely updated and revised. Highlights of the Fifth Edition include: A summary of advantages and disadvantages of ESOPs, the various planning opportunities ESOPs present, and the significant risks that should be considered An outline of the legal requirements for structuring an ESOP, primarily arising from the Internal Revenue Code A discussion of the rules for deducting various amounts contributed to an ESOP, distinguishing how such rules differ from rules in other types of retirement plans A discussion of the complex fiduciary duties and relationships inherent in the unique structure of an ESOP. More than any other type of retirement plan, fiduciaries of ESOPs run the risk of engaging in prohibited self dealing The issues that arise in valuing companies owned in whole or in part by an ESOP A detailed description of the special tax advantages for shareholders who sell their shares to an ESOP in a transaction that satisfies Code Section 1042, usually as part of a corporate ownership succession strategy An overview of the securities laws implicated by the employer securities held within an ESOP An explanation of ESOP leveraging - perhaps the most unique of the features of an ESOP - which allows the ESOP to be used by the sponsoring employer to obtain tax-advantaged corporate financing An in-depth look at special issues arising in ESOPs sponsored by Subchapter S corporations A discussion of the many uses of ESOPs in corporate merger and acquisition transactions, and the special treatment that often must be afforded to the ESOP fiduciaries who control the disposition of the employer securities held by the ESOP Previous Edition: Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Answer Book, Fourth Edition ISBN 9781454810315

A must-read for accountants and professionals with a business valuation accreditation or certification, pension actuaries, ERISA lawyers, Financial Valuation of Employee Stock Ownership Plan Shares identifies, explains, and explores the ins and outs of ESOPs, with a focus on what benefits a company/shareholder/plan participant would receive by transacting shares of stock with an ESOP, the formula for an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, stock incentives and their attractiveness to employees, the nature and function of ERISA, Department of Labor, and IRS. It includes training material, the full text of Department of Labor–proposed regulations, details of important court cases, various examples and illustrations to be used as reference and research tools for the experienced and trained valuation professional, and more.

Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are a powerful tool in a world in which it is no longer business as usual. Whether you want to attract and retain skilled workers, create a succession plan for your business, combat the "brain drain," recognize employee contributions, or need a way to turn your company around through improvements in productivity and morale, an ESOP could be the win-win solution for your company. An ESOP is a formal plan that allows employees to purchase shares in the company they work for. Employees think and act like owners because they actually hold a very real stake in the company. Not only are ESOPs financially beneficial for employees; companies that offer these plans also reap tangible rewards in improved motivation, communication, productivity, and profitability.

The historical relationship between capital and labor has evolved in the past few decades. One particularly noteworthy development is the rise of shared capitalism, a system in which workers have become partial owners of their firms and thus, in effect, both employees and stockholders. Profit sharing arrangements and gain-sharing bonuses, which tie compensation directly to a firm’s performance, also reflect this new attitude toward labor. Shared Capitalism at Work analyzes the effects of this trend on workers and firms. The contributors focus on four main areas: the fraction of firms that participate in shared capitalism programs in the United States and abroad, the factors that enable these firms to overcome classic free rider and risk problems, the effect of shared capitalism on firm performance, and the impact of shared capitalism on worker well-being. This volume provides essential studies for understanding the increasingly important role of shared capitalism in the modern workplace.