Employee Ownership Blog

Under our bylaws, the NCEO board appoints two people to the board each year in addition to the five who are elected (see my last column for the winners). This year, the board reappointed Dan Janich of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., and Elizabeth Dodge of Stock & Options Solutions.

President Obama's budget proposal would reinstate capital gains rates at 20% in 2011, up from 15% currently. The proposal would only affect individuals with $200,000 in income or families with $250,000.

The Obama budget also proposes a permanent fix that would index the alternative minimum tax (AMT) each year for inflation.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis has filed an amicus brief in a controversial case involving company stock in Citigroup's 401(k) plan. In In re Citigroup ERISA Litigation, No. 07 Civ. 9790 (S.D.N.Y., Aug.

The 2010 NCEO board elections were the most competitive ever, with an exceptionally strong field of candidates. The winners are:

The Gathering of the Games, the annual conference on open-book management organized by the Great Game of Business, will be in Saint Louis this year from May 5-7 (May 5 is a special day for preconference sessions.) The NCEO is again cosponsoring the event.

Employee-owned Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA), a national model for home health care in the Bronx, New York, and an NCEO 2009 Innovations Awards winner, has generously volunteered to share its model for helping low-income employees achieve greater financial stability.

On January 5, the IRS issued Notice 2010-6, which establishes a document correction program for nonqualified deferred compensation programs under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.

If it difficult for employees to meet to share ideas regularly, software can help.

The NCEO Service Provider Directory has added a category for outside board members.

If you have not already done so, you can still vote for the NCEO board. You will need your member number to cast a valid ballot. To vote, go to this link.

There has been some buzz lately (again) about something called an "ERSOP" (employee retirement stock ownership plan). Promoters are offering to install these tax-qualified plans, replete with an independent valuation, for as little as $4,000.