Esop Finance Trust

Why Is It Necessary to Restructure America?

Socialism and communism developed as a reaction to the concentration of ownership and the abusive labor practices that developed in the early stages of capitalism. However, after nearly a century of conflict between these two competing economic systems, a century that witnessed two world wars and a protracted cold war, we have seen in the…

Great Falls Business Owners Explain "ESOPs"

Local business owners say they’re spreading the wealth in Great Falls by offering long term employees stock ownership plans or ESOP’s. It’s a structure that is set up and its federally recognized, so the employees are then part of a trust that then owns either a 100% of the company or some portion of the…

Building a Successful ESOP in 10 Steps
Ten Steps to a Successful ESOP

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (“ESOPs”) are federally qualified employee benefit programs governed by U.S. law. Since our president and founder, John Menke, wrote some of the original ESOP legislation in 1974, more than 25 additional laws have been passed to promote and broaden the benefits of ESOPs. In general, ESOPs offer owners of companies tax…

Why Selling to an ESOP May Be Better Than an Internal Ownership Transition or Sale to a Third Party

By: John D. Menke There are good reasons to consider selling your firm to your own employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).  No other alternative combines maximum financial advantage with the flexibility that enables you to customize the sale to fit your own particular circumstances.  An ESOP enables you to sell your business…

ESOPS vs. Profit Sharing Plans

WHAT IS AN ESOP? The best way to explain an ESOP is to compare it to a profit sharing plan. ESOPs can do all the things a profit sharing plan can do. However, ESOPs can do a great many things that profit sharing plans cannot do. Profit sharing plans are regarded primarily as employee benefit…

An Open Letter to Business Owners

Dear Business Owner, Would you be interested in selling part or all of your stock in your company if you could sell it for more than twice what it is currently worth? Case Study I: The Benefits of a Gradual Sale to an ESOP We recently helped one of our clients do just that. Company X…

Why Should You Consider an ESOP?

Dear Reader: As president of Menke & Associates, Inc., I believe there is significant untapped growth potential in most privately held companies. Whether you want to sell some or all of your stock in the company in the next five years or whether you plan to remain active for the long term, Menke & Associates,…