Colorado Expands Tax Credit for Employee Ownership Conversions

The Colorado legislature has passed (by margins of 54-2 in the House and 26-9 in the Senate) a bill (HB23-1081) to expand its tax credits for converting to employee ownership. Governor Jared Polis has strongly supported the legislation and is expected to sign it. Under prior law, companies converting to ESOP ownership could get a tax credit for up to 50% of costs for conversion, with a maximum credit of $100,000 for conversion expenses; the dollar limit is now increased to $150,000. For worker cooperatives, prior law provided a credit of up to 50% of conversion costs, with a maximum credit of $25,000; the dollar limit is now increased to $40,000. Conversions to other qualified forms of employee ownership now also qualify for a credit of up 50% of the costs, up to a maximum credit of $25,000. Finally, the bill provides a tax credit of 50% of the costs, up to a maximum credit of $25,000, for a qualified employee-owned business expanding its employee ownership by at least 20%.