The ESOP Association Disappointed with ESOP Proposal in President Obama's Budget

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, The ESOP Association expressed disappointment over a provision in the President's Fiscal Year 2014 budget that pertains to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). Included in the budget document is a provision to eliminate Internal Revenue Code section 404(k). This incentive for ESOP creation and operation permits a C corporation to deduct the value of dividends paid on ESOP stock passed through to employees in cash, deductions used to pay the ESOP acquisition loan, or when the employee reinvests in more company stock in his/her ESOP account balance.

"This is a major proposal to reduce an incentive to create and operate an ESOP; we are disappointed it has been included in the President's budget," said ESOP Association President, J. Michael Keeling. "It is counterintuitive to eliminate an incentive for a policy that resulted in fewer layoffs during the Great Recession. According to the 2010 General Social Survey, employee stock owned companies laid off employees at a rate of 2.6% in 2010, whereas the rate for conventionally-owned companies was 12.1%.  It's baffling to hear the Administration preach about creating jobs and then take away a proven policy that sustains jobs."

The ESOP Association is the national trade association for companies with employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and the leading voice in America for employee ownership. The core cause of The ESOP Association is the belief that employee ownership will improve American competitiveness, increase productivity through greater employee participation, and strengthen our free enterprise economy. More information: website - www.esopassociation.org and blog – www.esopassociationblog.org.

SOURCE The ESOP Association

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