338(h)(10) Elections.
A joint buyer-seller tax election treating a stock sale as an asset sale for tax purposes, preserving stepped-up basis for the buyer.
How 338(h)(10) Elections actually gets done.
Run a side-by-side tax model showing the seller's grossed-up purchase price requirement.
Document the election in the purchase agreement, with required IRS forms attached.
Confirm the seller's eligibility, including the consolidated group structure.
Plan the tax gross-up payment, often funded out of the buyer's price.
Demanding a 338(h)(10) without offering the seller a tax gross-up. The election only works if the math works for the seller too.
"338(h)(10) is a buyer benefit you have to pay for. Price it into the LOI, not the surprise column."Jason Powell · 338(h)(10) Elections
25 industries with 338(h)(10) Elections pages.
Healthcare Services
roll-up of physician practices and ancillary service lines
Home Services
regional roll-ups of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical operators
Precision Manufacturing
platform plus tuck-in machine shops or aerospace-qualified shops
Vertical SaaS
platform plus adjacent module acquisitions inside a single end-market
B2B Services
recurring revenue service platform with bolt-on operators
Logistics & Distribution
regional acquisitions of brokerages, 3PLs, and last-mile operators
Specialty Distribution
vertical buy-up of niche product distributors
Food & Beverage
CPG roll-up or co-packing platform with regional bolt-ons
Multi-Unit Restaurants
franchisee roll-up or regional concept acquisition
Auto Aftermarket
service-center or specialty-shop regional roll-ups
Aerospace & Defense
tier-two or tier-three supplier consolidation with certifications as moat
Industrial Services
regional consolidation of plant maintenance, specialty contracting, or rentals
Building Products
regional manufacturer or specialty distributor consolidation
Specialty Construction
trade-specific buy-ups (roofing, mechanical, electrical, fire protection)
Insurance Brokerage
regional retail agency roll-ups
Wealth Advisors & RIAs
RIA aggregation or wealth platform roll-up
Veterinary Services
general or specialty practice roll-up under an MSO
Dental Practice Management
DSO buy-up under an MSO
Education & Training
private school, training academy, or B2B training platform consolidation
Marketing Agencies
specialty agency or holdco platform with bolt-ons
IT Services & MSPs
MSP platform with regional or vertical-specific bolt-ons
Cybersecurity Services
MSSP or specialty consulting platform
Energy Services
regional oilfield service or renewable services consolidation
Waste & Recycling
regional hauler or transfer station consolidation
Specialty Chemicals
niche formulator or contract manufacturing buy-up
Talk to Jason about 338(h)(10) Elections.
Twenty minutes of practitioner-grade input from a securities attorney built for the independent sponsor model.