The original article appeared in EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN REVIEW. Owners of closely held businesses under-utilize Employee Stock Ownership Plans ("ESOPs") as an ideal vehicle for achieving key business and tax deferral goals. Many of these owners have no exit strategy...
Many engineering and construction firm owners will be retiring in large numbers in the coming years. Those whose children don’t want the family business face a dilemma. With more “baby-boomer” sellers than buyers, buyers are likely to be highly selective and very...
Traditionally, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) are used as a vehicle to facilitate the retirement of the sole (or majority) shareholder of a closely held corporation and to finance business acquisitions. However, ESOPs are sometimes the perfect (and often...
Family-owned businesses, a key pillar in the American economy, make up a significant number of the privately held companies across our country. Although these companies cut across all industries and range in size from small to large, they all share common challenges....
A question we are often asked by business owners in the exit planning process is similar to the following: “Would it be more financially beneficial for me to sell my shares to a strategic buyer or to sell my shares to an employee stock ownership plan and elect tax...
Eventually, every business owner will exit his or her business – whether voluntarily or otherwise. At that time, every owner wants to accomplish certain personal, business, financial, and estate planning goals. Most fail to do so. According to a number of surveys,...
Employee Stock Ownership Plans give your employees a slice of the ownership pie. When it comes to deciding upon an exit strategy, owners of closely held businesses have a lot to think about. Faced with the frightening prospect of turning over the business they have...
You’ve owned your business for years. You’ve grown it, nurtured it and now the time might be approaching for you to move on. After so many years even if the thought of transitioning your business hasn’t entered your mind, it is time to start planning for ownership...
Whether selling your business or engaging in a transaction that requires a valuation, knowing what your company is worth will give you a competitive edge. As a business owner, obtaining a business valuation, or appraisal of the company’s worth, is perhaps one of the...
There are several paths you can take when it comes time to transition ownership of your business. How do you determine which one is right for you? For an owner of a closely held business, few questions require as much soul‐searching as the issue of whom to transition...