Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) can be an advantageous option for succession planning.

As a business owner, you have several options to consider when planning for exit. In an ESOP, participants are beneficiaries of the stock, and the ownership and management teams continue to run the day-to-day of the business. When it comes time to sell, an ESOP allows employees to benefit from the sale of a business. 

While there are several advantages to ESOPs, they are also very complex to navigate. Whether it is communication with employees, coordination of the service providers involved, help with structuring the plan, or managing the repurchase liability, it's important to understand the accounting and tax requirements that accompany this unique ownership structure.

ESOP Capabilities

We help businesses make sense of the ins and outs of ESOPs through the following services:

  • ESOP feasibility studies, including entity and transaction structuring
  • Initial ESOP analysis and succession planning
  • Corporate audit and tax compliance for ESOP sponsor companies
  • ESOP accounting consulting
  • ESOP audits
  • ESOP M&A
  • Mature ESOP consulting and compliance
  • ESOP sustainability, including repurchase obligation and long-term valuation analysis

Is an ESOP a Good Fit for Your Organization?

ESOP
Learn more about what an ESOP is, how it works, key benefits, and potential challenges to help decide if an ESOP may be an option for your organization.
Read the Article
We’ll help you navigate the complexities of ESOPs.

Clients We’ve Impacted with Our ESOP Services

          • Plains Ag
            • Climate Systems
                    • RHI Supply
                      • Sands Logo
                        • Mid-America Steel

                          We're here to help your employee-owned company succeed.

                          Our team has been serving ESOPs for over 25 years. We currently work alongside employee-owned companies ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

                          ESOP Leadership

                          Kirk Lindemann

                          Kirk R. LindemannCPA

                          Partner/ESOP Industry Leader

                          Kirk specializes in employee-owned companies, focusing on ESOP consulting, tax and accounting services related to ESOPs and 401(k) plans. Kirk also provides audit, tax, accounting and business consulting services to a variety of businesses, including those in the manufacturing, professional services, construction and dealership industries. A firmwide resource on employee-owned companies, Kirk has spoken at the ESOP Association Midwest annual conference, the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) annual conference and several local chapter events regarding accounting issues, ESOPs and employee-owned companies.
                          Travis Lance

                          Travis R LanceASA

                          Principal

                          Travis provides business valuation and transaction advisory services to a wide variety of industries. He specializes in employee-owned companies and acts as an adviser in ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) transactions and related compliance consulting. He also provides litigation support through business valuation and other financial and economic analyses. Key industries served by Travis include agriculture, energy, and manufacturing.