Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Apply for the Employee Ownership Tax Credit The Employee Ownership Tax Credit is available to current Colorado-headquartered businesses to cover up to 50% of qualified conversion costs for use on their state income taxes. Reserve your tax credit today and use it before 2027. Apply for this tax credit 0 Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Colorado Employee Ownership Office Across the United States, an estimated 6 in 10 business owners plan to retire or sell their businesses within the next 10 years. Yet only 15% of businesses are passed down to the next generation, and only 20% of listed businesses sell. That leaves many owners without the opportunity to benefit financially from their decades of hard work and leaves employees susceptible to job loss. Colorado is no exception—across the state, 48% of Colorado’s small business owners are 55 or older. Employee ownership models offer an alternative path to retirement that also preserves jobs, creating a win-win for business owners, employees and communities. Within the next 10 years, thousands of business owners in Colorado plan to leave their business. Employee ownership, paired with business strategy, creates sustainable economic opportunities. The Colorado Employee Ownership Office establishes a network of consulting for businesses considering employee ownership structures. The office brings together partners including employee-owned and accounting professionals, and other employee ownership organizations. Employee-owned businesses promote a higher quality of life for employee-owners including higher wages, less turnover, access to better benefits, and job security. For the business owner, they get the benefit of a more engaged workforce, a guaranteed succession plan, and a way to attract and retain top talent. Quick Links Start Here: Intro to Employee Ownership Course Employee Ownership Tax Credit to Establish or to Expand Employee Ownership Tax Credit to Strengthen and to Thrive Free Employee Ownership Resources Employee Ownership Consulting Financing Your Employee Ownership Conversion Colorado Employee-Owned Company Definition Colorado Employee-Owned Company Map Programming Expand All Introduction to Employee Ownership Course To learn more about the benefits and employee ownership options, the Employee Ownership Office has produced an introductory course. This is a free online course available on demand and accessible to Colorado-headquartered small business owners interested in investigating employee ownership.  To get started with this introductory course, click on the Colorado Business Learning online platform link, scroll up to the "exit pathway", click on the “learn more” button. Select "Introduction to Employee Ownership" course to enroll in the course. You will need to create a free account prior to the course launching. After completing the course, you will be able to "connect with a consultant" to learn more about next steps on your conversion journey and receive a referral to an employee-ownership organization. Exit and Succession Planning To learn more about Exit and Succession Planning, the Employee Ownership Office has produced an introductory course. This is a free online course available on demand and accessible to Colorado-headquartered small business owners interested in learning why succession planning is essential to your current business strategy, how to think about the real value of your business, and learning the basics of business valuation.  To get started with this introductory course, click on the Colorado Business Learning online platform link, scroll up to the "exit pathway", click on the “learn more” button. Select "Exit Planning for Your Business" course to enroll in the course. You will need to create a free account prior to the course launching.

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