Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Services

An ESOP provides an organization with unique opportunities—and challenges. Whether you are evaluating or implementing an ESOP transaction for the first time or need an experienced service provider for your mature ESOP, we can help.

We work with ESOPs in all stages from planning through maturity, providing the specialized support that you need.

Assurance Services & Financial Statement Preparation

Our Accounting & Auditing Department prepares a significant amount of compiled, reviewed, and audited financial statements for Plan sponsors of ESOP companies. Our team will work with your Company, the valuation firm, and the third-party administrators to structure a timeline that meets all of your filing needs as well as your desired target date to issue participant statements to your employee owners.

Employee Benefit Plan Audits

With a dedicated employee benefit audit services team, we perform over 100 Plan audits annually, which puts us in the Top 2% of firms in the nation with regard to this practice. ESOP plan audits constitute a significant portion of our employee benefit audit services. Our team members have ample experience working on Employee Stock Ownership Plans and with most large third-party administrators and valuation firms nationwide. We can help you define and meet your internal timeline with regard to filing deadlines. In addition, our audit work has been subject to the Department of Labor review assessment with no significant findings.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan Projections & Cash Flow Forecasting

We are often engaged to assist Companies who are looking to establish and sell to an ESOP. As part of our sell-side services, we assist the company with creating projections in order to help substantiate future cash flows for valuation purposes. In addition, for existing ESOPS, we often assist companies in developing projections, complete with footnote disclosures, that may be provided to valuation companies for annual valuation updates.

Repurchase Obligation Consulting

Whether your ESOP is newly-formed or has a 20-year history, our ESOP experts can consult with you on repurchase obligation issues. We help develop scenarios and inputs to provide to the third-party administrator or valuation firm performing the actual study. We also work with ESOP companies to develop ideas to help fund current and future repurchase obligations as well as to help streamline the annual and future benefits.

ESOP Feasibility, Structure and Plan Design

We will work with you to evaluate whether an Employee Stock Ownership Plan is a viable option for you, and we will structure the plan to meet your needs.

ESOP Sell Side Services

With a strong background in sell-side services, our consultants help you navigate the process smoothly. We provide the information and expertise you need to show potential buyers that normalizations and projections are supported. We can also help with purchase price negotiations and structure.

Tax Compliance & Consulting

Our tax consultants have experience with Employee Stock Ownership tax compliance issues. The tax incentives associated with the sale to an ESOP can be very attractive, and require an in-depth knowledge and disciplined approach. Our expert consultants will work with you to bring forward your best tax compliance outcomes.

Harding, Shymanski & Company, P.S.C. is a member the ESOP Association and the National Center for Employee Ownership.

For more information about our ESOP services, please contact Kyle Wininger, CPA, CICA, CVA, CFE at 800.880.7800 or Contact Us through email.

ESOP Roundtable Events

We are proud to host ESOP Roundtable events for ESOP companies and those companies who are exploring the ESOP opportunity. As you might expect, the ESOP Roundtable agenda is member-driven and provides a place to share experiences, questions, best practices, lessons learned, and successes.  See our Events page for the next ESOP Roundtable in your area.

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