March – April 2012 Webinars

We are excited about starting this year’s webcast offerings with five “one-hour” sessions covering a variety of topics presented by some of the most experienced, knowledgeable, and dynamic professionals in the ESOP community. You and your employee owners will want to take advantage of this convenient and economical way to learn. Here is the Schedule:

1. March 15, 2012  10 am - Basic ESOP Administration Primer – Presented by Tom Roback and Kelly Almond of Blue Ridge ESOP Associates - ESOP administration is specialized and can be a complex process. This webcast will lay out the ESOP administration process so plan sponsors can understand what is important and why their provider needs complete information. Whether the ESOP administration function is conducted internally or externally through a Third Party Administrator (TPA) compiling and recording accurate information is critical. We will discuss specific ways to insure this is done.  You will receive a basic overview of the steps necessary for a more efficient administration of your ESOP and an opportunity to ask questions.    Register Here

2. March 20, 2012  10 AM - Repurchase Obligations: Moving From Study to Strategy – Presented by Judith Kornfeld of ESOP Economics Inc. If you are like most ESOP companies, you have some important questions about repurchase obligations: a) How big will they be, and when will they occur? b) Can we afford them without hampering our growth? and c) What is the best way to manage and fund them? A simple repurchase obligation study will only go so far in helping you answer these questions, because these obligations affect earnings, cash flow, and potentially stock value. Come to this webinar to learn a different approach to long-term ESOP planning that will help you really answer your repurchase obligation questions.      Register Here

3. March 29, 2012  10 AM - Avoiding the Seven Deadly Sins in setting up an ESOP Communications Committee – Presented by Cathy Ivancic of Workplace Development Inc. – Whether you are establishing a new committee or revitalizing an old committee, this webinar will provide ideas about how to avoid common pitfalls in establishing an ESOP Communications Committee. With engaging stories based on real world committee experiences, the webinar will explore how to get started or restarted with an ESOP communication committee so that the team can support company success.  The session will examine both the situations where an ESOP communication will not be effective and where it can become an important element of ESOP excellence.    Register Here

4. April 5, 2012  10 AM - ESOP Benefit Distributions … a Critical Administrative Issue – Presented by Pete Shuler of Crowe Horwath LLP. - Distributions are, perhaps, the most confusing aspect that you will encounter with regard to your ESOP.  This webinar will provide a review of the legal framework for distributions, but we will quickly get into the mechanics of distributions. Specifically, we will tell you how to determine who gets a distribution, the amount they are entitled to receive, and the form of their payment.  We will also discuss forms and disclosures you must provide and the correct handling of tax withholding and reporting.       Register here

5. April 10, 2012  10 AM - Valuation - a Black Box Demystification ... Understanding the ESOP Valuation Report – Presented by Scott Miller of Enterprise Services, Inc. - Distributions are, perhaps, the most confusing aspect that you will encounter with regard to  your ESOP.  This webinar will provide a review of the legal framework for distributions, but we will quickly get into the mechanics of distributions. Specifically, we will tell you how to determine who gets a distribution, the amount they are entitled to receive, and the form of their payment.  We will also discuss forms and disclosures you must provide and the correct handling of tax withholding and reporting.       Register here