NCEO Publications

Our books and other publications on employee ownership and related issues provide detailed yet understandable guidance for company owners, managers, and advisors alike. Most publications are available in either print or PDF format. Also see our newsletter, described at bottom, and our ESOP Q&A.

What's New

Publications on Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)

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An Introduction to ESOPs
This short and inexpensive book is our best-selling publication. It explains how ESOPs work in a clear and concise manner.
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Don't Do That NEW EDITION
True stories illustrating common mistakes in implementing and operating an ESOP and what to do about them.
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Leveraged ESOPs and Employee Buyouts
Extensive coverage of financing in a leveraged ESOP transaction, plus legal, valuation, and accounting issues.
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S Corporation ESOPs
Covers tax issues, plan design, compliance, administration, valuation, sustainability, and more.
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Selling Your Business to an ESOP
A detailed guide for owners, managers, and advisors of closely held businesses are who considering a sale to an ESOP.
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Understanding ESOPs
A general, basic guide to ESOPs for public and private companies alike.
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ESOPs and Corporate Governance
Discusses corporate governance in ESOP companies.
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Executive Compensation in ESOP Companies NEW EDITION
Essays and new survey data on the issues surrounding executive compensation in ESOP companies.
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Questions and Answers on the Duties of ESOP Fiduciaries
Covers the legal issues related to ESOP fiduciaries in a question-and-answer format, with almost 150 detailed entries.
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Sustainable ESOPs NEW
Discusses how to remain succesfully employee-owned for the long term.
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The ESOP Company Board Handbook
A practical guide for board members in ESOP companies that discusses crucial issues and best practices.
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The Inside ESOP Fiduciary Handbook
An essential resource for any inside fiduciary at an ESOP company.
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Things My ESOP Advisor Never Told Me
Helps ESOP companies know what their advisors might not be telling them and what they should be.
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An Ownership Tale
How to move from being a company of employees to a company of owners.
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Fundamentals of Ownership Culture
Dozens of practical ideas for creating a great employee ownership company through nurturing a true ownership culture.
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The ESOP Committee Guide
A complete guide to developing and improving ESOP committees, with case studies.
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The ESOP Communications Sourcebook
Shows ESOP companies how to communicate the plan to employees as well as customers.
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Administrative Issues for ESOP Companies
Essays on administrative issues for ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) companies.
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ESOP and 401(k) Plan Employer Stock Litigation Review 1990-2015 NEW EDITION
Categorizes and summarizes litigation over company stock in ESOPs and 401(k) plans.
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ESOP Regulatory Rulings 1990-2015 NEW EDITION
Categorizes and summarizes IRS and DOL rulings and regulations on ESOPs and related plans.
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ESOP Valuation
Essays on valuing company stock for ESOP purposes.
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Model ESOP
A model ESOP document with alternative provisions and detailed explanations. Includes CD.
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The ESOP Repurchase Obligation Handbook
Essays and survey results on the ESOP repurchase obligation and how companies deal with it.

ARCHIVED PUBLICATIONS

Also see our archived publications: specialized publications that are no longer being updated or actively promoted but are still available for order.
Issue Brief subscription

About the Issue Briefs and the Issue Brief Subscription

Our issue briefs are short publications (8.5 x 11 inches in size and typically 30 pages or longer) on specific topics, available individually in print or PDF format at $15 each for NCEO members and $25 for nonmembers. With our issue brief subscription, you can receive every new issue brief as it appears for a low yearly cost, starting with the current issue brief. Learn more or subscribe now.
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A Buyer's Guide to Insurance for Fiduciaries of ESOPs and Other Benefit Plans
Explains the complex issues relating to insurance for ESOP and other benefit plan fiduciaries.
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Acquisition Strategies for ESOP Companies
Discusses strategies for ESOP companies evaluating or making acquisitions.
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Best Practices for ESOP/401(k) Combinations
Discusses the issues that arise when a company sponsors both an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and a 401(k) plan.
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Current Perspectives on ESOP Valuation and Enforcement
Gives insightful perspectives on current ESOP valuation issues, including an interview with the DOL's Tim Hauser.
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ESOP Distribution Policies
An issue brief with sample policies and general considerations for drafting an ESOP distribution policy.
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ESOP Diversification Challenges for Private Companies
Discusses ESOP diversification challenges and solutions for private companies.
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ESOP Governance in the Face of Business Challenges NEW
Describes alternatives for ESOP companies and trustees during business challenges, plus ways to avoid problems.
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Floor Price Protection in ESOP Transactions
Discusses how price protection works, its impact on valuation, and fiduciary perspectives.
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Hold It or Fold It: Keeping or Terminating the Employer Stock Fund After Dudenhoeffer and Tatum NEW
Describes how the ERISA fiduciary can decide whether to offer or terminate an employer stock fund in a public company 401(k).
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Innovative ESOP Transaction Structures
Discusses innovative transaction structures, from alternative forms of capital to private equity.
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International Ownership Plans for U.S. ESOP Companies
Discusses how U.S. ESOP companies can provide ownership to international employees through the ESOP itself or other means.
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Leadership Development and Succession
An issue brief examining best practices in developing new leaders and succession planning.
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Moving On: Making the Transition After Selling to an ESOP NEW
Case studies on making the transition after selling to an ESOP, plus investment strategies for selling owners.
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Responding to Acquisition Offers in ESOP Companies
Describes both best practices in responding to unsolicited offers to buy an ESOP company as well as what happens when you do want to sell.
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S Corporation ESOP Traps for the Unwary
Describes potential problems and their solutions for S corporation ESOPs.
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Selling a Company Directly to Employees
Describes how to sell a business directly to employees without an ESOP, including structuring, financing, legal issues, and more.
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Terminating an ESOP: Valuation and Fiduciary Issues
Discusses the issues related to terminating a plan, including partial terminations, freezing, and converting to a profit sharing plan.
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The Changing World of Employee Ownership
Discusses the number of ESOPs and participants, how other plans compare, recent legislation, and how many companies are ESOP candidates.
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The DOL Fiduciary Process Agreement for ESOP Transactions
Discusses an agreement with the Department of Labor on fiduciary matters that provides guidance for ESOPs.
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The Participant's Guide to ESOP Distributions
A guide to how ESOP distributions work, what participants can expect, and what their rights are.
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Understanding and Communicating ESOP Valuations
Discusses how valuations work, special ESOP considerations, and how to communicate valuations to employees.
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Wellness Programs in ESOP Companies After the Affordable Care Act
Discusses wellness programs in employee-owned companies in the current environment, including the ACA.

Publications on Equity Compensation

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Equity Alternatives: Restricted Stock, Performance Awards, Phantom Stock, SARs, and More
A detailed guide to equity compensation alternatives. Includes annotated model plan documents in word-processing formats.
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Equity Compensation for Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
A guide to creating equity compensation arrangements for limited liability companies (LLCs). Includes model plan documents.
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Selected Issues in Equity Compensation
A detailed look at some of the main topics in equity compensation. Includes a comprehensive chapter on ESPPs.
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Staying Private: Liquidity Options for Entrepreneurial Companies NEW
Describes how entrepreneurial company owners can achieve liquidity without going public or selling the company.
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The Decision-Maker's Guide to Equity Compensation
How to find and implement an equity compensation strategy that works for your company.
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The Stock Options Book
A comprehensive guide to employee stock options, with extensive technical details.
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GPS: ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plans)
Discusses regulatory and administrative issues for ESPPs, including practical examples and the financial cost of design features.
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GPS: Global Stock Plans
Discusses issues such as grant processes, transactions, and taxes for public companies that grant equity compensation outside the U.S.
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GPS: Participant Education and Communication: Case Studies
Discusses the strategic and practical issues of participant communication in a variety of types of equity plans, from ESPPs to options.
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GPS: Performance Awards
Discusses administration, financial reporting, and communication issues for public companies that grant performance awards.
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GPS: Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units
Discusses regulatory and administrative issues for public companies that grant restricted stock and restricted stock units.
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Private Company Equity Compensation Administration Toolkit
Checklists and templates to help private companies manage equity plans and delegate tasks.
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Accounting for Equity Compensation
A guide to accounting for stock options, ESPPs, SARs, restricted stock, and other such plans.
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Advanced Topics in Equity Compensation Accounting
A selective and detailed examination of crucial issues in equity compensation accounting.
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CEPI Exam Quick Reference Guide
A quick reference guide to equity compensation in the form of four double-sided laminated sheets.
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If I'd Only Known That
True stories illustrating common mistakes in implementing and operating equity compensation plans and what to do about them.
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Model Equity Compensation Plans
Sample plan documents and brief explanations for employee stock option and stock purchase plans (includes CD).
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Securities Sources for Equity Compensation
A book with source documents for those working with equity compensation.

ARCHIVED PUBLICATIONS

Also see our archived publications: specialized publications that are no longer being updated or actively promoted but are still available for order.
Issue Brief subscription

About the Issue Briefs and the Issue Brief Subscription

Our issue briefs are short publications (8.5 x 11 inches in size and typically 30 pages or longer) on specific topics, available individually in print or PDF format at $15 each for NCEO members and $25 for nonmembers. With our issue brief subscription, you can receive every new issue brief as it appears for a low yearly cost, starting with the current issue brief. Learn more or subscribe now.
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Performance-Based Equity Compensation NEW
Provides the insight needed to create and manage a successful performance equity program.

Publications on Ownership Concepts and Research

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The Handbook of Incentive Compensation
Takes a broad look at how incentives can motivate and reward.
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Working Better
A compilation of articles by NCEO cofounder Corey Rosen on what makes a great employee ownership company.
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Front-Line Finance Manual and CD
A book designed to enable employees, regardless of their experience as trainers, to teach basic financial skills to coworkers.
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Paradoxes of Leadership
Discusses 14 paradoxes that define Charles Edmunson's philosophy of leadership.

ARCHIVED PUBLICATIONS

Also see our archived publications: specialized publications that are no longer being updated or actively promoted but are still available for order.
Issue Brief subscription

About the Issue Briefs and the Issue Brief Subscription

Our issue briefs are short publications (8.5 x 11 inches in size and typically 30 pages or longer) on specific topics, available individually in print or PDF format at $15 each for NCEO members and $25 for nonmembers. With our issue brief subscription, you can receive every new issue brief as it appears for a low yearly cost, starting with the current issue brief. Learn more or subscribe now.
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Alternative Employee Ownership Structures
Discusses alternative methods of providing broad-based employee ownership.
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Employee Ownership and Corporate Performance
Summarizes research on the subject, mainly on ESOP companies.
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The State of Broad-Based Employee Ownership Plans 2015
A report on the growth and current extent of employee ownership, research findings, and challenges and prospects.

Newsletter for Members

In addition to the publications listed above, we publish a newsletter exclusively for members.

Employee Ownership Report
Employee Ownership Report
Published every two months, the 16-page Employee Ownership Report is the most efficient way to stay informed about legal issues, current events, best practices, breaking research, management approaches, and communications ideas for employee ownership companies. Members receive a hard-copy version, and our members area has a searchable archive of issues in PDF format back to 1997. Download a sample issue.

ESOP Q&A

Our ESOP Q&A is not a static publication but rather a searchable, browsable set of hundreds of questions and answers about ESOPs.

ESOP Q and A
The ESOP Q&A
Our ESOP Q&A is an online resource with nearly 700 questions and answers about employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) and related issues. Browse by category or search by keyword to find what you need. Access is inexpensive, and your login will never expire as long as the Q&A lasts. Read more or try our free demo version before buying.