ESOP advisor in Webster Groves, MO. Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) have become an increasingly well-liked retirement plan for employees in various industries in Webster Groves, MO. They offer business owners an opportunity to step away from their company while greatly reducing taxes on the sale, and offer employees a qualified retirement plan that builds their investment in your company. However, designing, implementing, and maintaining an ESOP isn't something most Webster Groves, MO business owners can do by themselves. Correct Capital's proficient and savvy ESOP advisors help businesses of all sizes, in Webster Groves, MO and around the United States, create tailored retirement plans that benefit themselves, their employees, and their revenue.
If you're in search of a trustworthy financial partner in Webster Groves, MO who shares your goals of building your company and employees for sustained success, call Correct Capital at 877-930-4015, contact us online, or schedule an appointment with one of our financial advisors today.
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Correct Capital Wealth Management's office is physically located in St. Louis, MO, but we serve clients throughout the United States in both personal financial planning and corporate retirement plans.
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About Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
An ESOP is a tax-advantaged retirement plan where employees receive shares of the company that employs them, rather than savings or investments in other companies as in a typical retirement plan. ESOPs are fully funded by the employer, and often times shares offered to employees are not decision-making shares, meaning control of the company stays with the C-suite. They offer great incentives to employees while providing businesses with a superior value proposition to employees, and allow business owners to set up a succession plan while maintaining control. When they retire, most employees sell the stock at marketplace value.
Perhaps most importantly, by selling part of your ownership to the ESOP, owners can defer capital gains taxes, allowing you to allocate that tax hit instead of having to pay taxes promptly. In many cases, ESOPs are a succession plan that keeps the most amount of money achievable in your pocket.
Benefits of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan
- Sell a portion of your business (minimum 30%) with deferment of capital gains taxes (provided you reinvest into qualified replacement securities)
- Additional tax deductions through contributions made to employees
- If the business is one day 100% owned as an S-Corp by the ESOP, it's free from federal income taxes
- Align the goals of employees and stockholders
- Provide a higher value proposition when hiring
- Enhance employee motivation and productivity
- Enhance employee retention and loyalty
- Simplify succession planning and business continuity
- Maintain control while organizing or easing into retirement
- Amplify personal liquidity of owners, but still keep control of the company
- Carry on your business' legacy and culture
What About KSOPs?
A KSOP is a qualified plan that is a mix between an ESOP and a 401(k). Ownership shares are given to employees as in an ESOP, employees can contribute their own money to obtain additional shares through payroll deductions, or the company can match employee contributions with stock rather than cash.
Setting up a stock ownership plan doesn't have to exclude your employees from more diverse investments. In fact, incorporating an ESOP or KSOP to a more traditional retirement plan allows you to receive the benefits of both. The experienced Webster Groves, MO ESOP advisors and retirement consultants of Correct Capital can aid you find the right plans for your business.
What Our Webster Groves, MO ESOP Advisors Do for You
Whether you're stepping from control of your company or are interested in an ESOP's other benefits, you'll need a knowledgeable Webster Groves, MO ESOP advisory firm in your corner to reap the most benefits of your plan. When you work with Correct Capital, we:
- Reduce your tax liability as much as possible — When you sell your ownership shares to an ESOP, you have the option to reinvest the proceeds in alternative securities to postpone capital gains taxes on the sales, permitting you to retain more of the sales proceeds for various purposes. To defer capital gains taxes, your ESOP advisor can help you perform a Section 1042 exchange by selling at least 30% of your company to the ESOP and reinvesting the proceeds in qualified replacement securities or QRP. Taxes would be owed until the taxpayer has a disposition of the QRP. An ESOP advisor can guarantee you obtain the most tax benefit from your ESOP.
- Personalize your ESOP and retirement plans — Along with your team, we'll create and implement an ESOP that works best for you and your one-of-a-kind company. We like to test ourselves and our clients to get creative with retirement plan offerings to optimize the benefits they provide. We'll assess your needs, evaluate various ESOP options, and suggest a tailored ESOP that meets legal requirements and is aimed at optimizing benefits. If it makes sense, we may also advise combining an ESOP with a 401(k) or alternative retirement plans to additionally augment benefits, without sacrificing efficiencies.
- Conduct a ESOP feasibility study — When we first meet with our clients, we work to comprehend their needs and work together with them to find the optimal tax-advantaged retirement plans for their business. For clients interested in an ESOP, part of that means carrying out a feasibility analysis to determine if it's a workable option for your company. We'll look at:
- Cash flow, debts, and overall financial health
- Ownership structure to understand the implications of introducing an ESOP
- Employee demographics to understand what they need from their retirement plan
- Tax implications for both your company and shareholders
- Company culture and employee engagement to assess if an ESOP is likely to be well-received and supported
What if your business isn't a great fit for an ESOP? We'll collaborate with you to find a retirement or succession plan that works for you.
- Connect you with valuation firms and trustees — Implementing and maintaining an ESOP involves a lot of moving parts, including accountants, lawyers, and a trustee to buy stock of the company on behalf of the ESOP. An experienced ESOP advisor with a strong network in Webster Groves, MO can help you arrange your ESOP team with trusted partners.
- Ensure compliance — IRS, Department of Labor, and ERISA all have strict guidelines for the oversight of ESOPs. For example, when individuals enrolled in an employee stock ownership plan at a closely held employer receive company stock in an ESOP distribution, they have the right to require the employer to buy back them at current market price.
- ESOP sustainability assessments — In an ESOP, shares are granted to employees over time based on duration of service. Most of the time, that means ownership of the company is sold to the ESOP in increments. Depending on how you structure your company and the plan, your ESOP may start with 30%, but could ultimately achieve 100% ownership. As the plan progresses and matures, so will its impact on your company. ESOP advisors can plan for these changes and react to them in real time, allowing your plan to stay workable, in accordance with regulations, and beneficial.
- Employee communication and education — Our ESOP advisors offer group sessions and personalized meetings with your employees so they can maximize the benefits from your ESOP. With an ESOP advisor from Correct Capital, your employees won't just attain partial ownership of your company, but they'll feel like they're gaining ownership of their financial stability and eventual retirement.
Why Choose Correct Capital as Your ESOP Advisor in Webster Groves, MO
Correct Capital is an independent advisory firm that specializes in assisting business owners arrange retirement plans and succession plans for their enterprises. There are multiple factors we point to that distinguish us from other investment advisory agencies in Webster Groves, MO, and throughout the nation:
- We're experienced in retirement plans and ESOPs. Correct Capital's clients currently operate these plans in a range of industries, including for construction companies and contractors. As we work with both businesses and individuals and families to support in setting up retirement plans, we're well-prepared to understand the demands of each and create a plan that meets the needs of both, as well as those of your stockholders.
- As independent fiduciary advisors, we are lawfully and morally bound to do what's in the optimal interest of you, your employees, and your company. We endeavor to form long-term relationships with our clients based on trust and the common goal of expanding your and your employees' wealth.
Other services we offer in Webster Groves, MO:
Call Correct Capital to Speak With an ESOP Advisor in Webster Groves, MO Today
If you're interested in learning more about ESOPs or desire to start the process of setting one up for your Webster Groves, MO business, reach out to a Correct Capital ESOP advisor today. Let us do what we do best so you can focus on what you value most: positioning yourself, your business, and your employees up for success. Contact with one of our Webster Groves, MO ESOP advisors now at 877-930-4015 or contact us online.