While you can't predict the future, you can help introduce some certainty into their uncertain world with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. An ESOP is a qualified retirement plan that is invested primarily in the stock of the sponsoring company. ESOPs are unique in that they can borrow money to purchase the stock from the selling shareholders. ESOPs are useful for business owners looking to diversify their holdings, plan for the succession of their business, or help their employees prepare for retirement. They help answer these key questions:

• Will there be a buyer for my business when it comes time to sell? The ESOP creates a buyer that can purchase all or a portion of the company from the selling shareholders. There is no need to search for a purchaser or hire a business broker.  The business owner simply establishes the ESOP. 
• Will anyone want to buy a minority position in the company? The ESOP can own as much or as little of the company as the owner desires. The ESOP may start as a minority interest and then later own a majority or all of the company. 
• Will I be able to sell the company for fair market value? The ESOP can pay up to fair market value for the company as determined by an independent valuation. 
• Is there a way to keep the company in the family and generate cash for retirement? An ESOP can be a useful tool for business owners looking to retain control of their company and generate liquidity. The owner may sell a portion of the company to the ESOP to generate cash for gift or estate tax purposes, to finance retirement, or a variety of other uses. In addition, an ESOP can be used to allow one or more family members to exit the business without the remaining members having to buy their shares. 
• Will I be able to sell when I want and only as much as I want? An ESOP provides the business owner with flexibility to meet their specific needs. The owner decides how much of the company to sell and when to sell it. They could sell a portion now to the ESOP to generate cash to diversify their holdings and sell the rest over time or all at once  as part of their succession plan. 
• What will the tax rate be on the sale of the company? That remains unknown but the ESOP offers special tax advantages that can soften the blow of any taxes on the transaction itself. 

I guess Ben Franklin could have added one more thing to his now famous quote: Nothing is more certain than death, taxes and uncertainty. Although there are no guarantees, an employee stock ownership plan is one way to create more certainty in the unpredictable world of business ownership.