Frequently Asked Questions

Employee Ownership FAQs

Common questions about employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), employee ownership trusts (EOTs), and other forms of employee ownership, from the basics to technical topics.

This FAQ is written primarily for business owners, managers, and advisors involved in setting up or running an employee ownership plan. If you're an employee at an ESOP company looking to understand your own benefits and rights, see our articles on Working at an ESOP Company and The Rights of ESOP Participants.

NCEO employee ownership FAQ hero (keyboard)

Are the cash and stock portions of an employee's account treated differently for ESOP distributions?

While companies could distribute the cash sooner, companies generally prefer to have the same rules apply to the entire distribution.

Link to this FAQ Topic: Distributions & Repurchase