ESOP Implementation
With decades of ESOP experience, SES professionals are uniquely positioned to assist business owners in balancing their needs with those of the company and its employees to implement successful and sustainable employee ownership solutions. Through our affiliated law firm, Stevens & Lee, and our affiliated FINRA-licensed investment bank, Griffin Financial Group, we provide comprehensive legal and financing services to help you establish and fund an ESOP. Through every stage of developing your ESOP, we are focus on aligning the business succession goals of company stakeholders with company legacy and the benefits an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) provides to employees, all while minimizing fiduciary risk.
There are five steps to building and maintaining a successful ESOP (link to Resource doc), starting with determining whether it is the right fit for your company’s financial performance, culture and long-term succession objectives. Once the company and its owners determine the appropriate structure, the ESOP implementation stage begins.
This includes structuring the transaction and evaluating key considerations such as company valuation, financing alternatives, tax advantages and the legal, financial and administrative requirements involved in establishing the plan.
This video, featuring SES ESOP Strategies President and CEO Ed Renenger, offers a detailed overview of the ESOP implementation process.Begin Implementing Your ESOP
SES ESOP Strategies assists companies in choosing advisors, negotiating key terms and conditions and documenting and implementing the ESOP transaction in compliance with regulatory requirements of the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) and the Department of Labor (DOL). If applicable, financial advisors from SES and our affiliate Griffin Financial Group can assist you in raising debt to fund the transaction.
With significant experience working alongside shareholders, owners, management teams and advisors, we’re experts in helping companies navigate the financial, legal and administrative complexities of implementing an ESOP. Our guidance extends beyond implementation to include compliance, governance, employee communication and ongoing plan administration, helping companies maximize the benefits of employee ownership while positioning the ESOP for long-term success.
Maintaining Your ESOP
Following ESOP implementation, SES ESOP Strategies’ affiliated full-service law firm, Stevens & Lee, can provide legal services to assist the company in maintaining the tax-qualified status of the employee stock ownership plan, as well as a wide range of other business-oriented, value-added legal services. We have long-standing relationships with third-party administration teams and can assist the company in selecting the team best suited to provide annual plan record-keeping and administration services.
Contact us today to learn whether an ESOP may be the right fit for your business succession strategy.