Employee ownership has become a popular means of motivating and compensating professional employees in design practices.  As a result, there has been a dramatic growth in the popularity of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) in the design profession.

The valuation the firm's stock is a critical element in a successful ESOP because trustees cannot pay more than fair market value for the firm's stock. An ESOP valuation should be prepared by a qualified, independent appraiser, as required by Federal law, and updated at least annually.  In addition, the valuation of an ESOP should be able to withstand the potential of challenges of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) with enforcement responsibility for ESOPs.

We are an industry leader in performing ESOP valuations for design firms across the country.  We provide cost-effective valuations services for design firms which include initial valuations to determine ESOP feasibility, valuations required for the establishment of an ESOP and the required annual valuations of ESOPs.