Inevitabilities

Whether voluntarily or involuntarily, at some point every business owner leaves his or her business. This paper discusses the Seven Step Exit Planning Process™ and its role in helping the business owner design and implement his or her ideal transition.

Exit Routes for Business Owners

While the amount of exit routes available to business owners may seem endless, this white paper illustrates that there are only eight and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each. Furthermore, it helps the business owner determine which one might be right for them.

Business Valuation

This white paper discusses the benefits of using an experienced business appraiser to help maximize the ultimate value of one’s business, avoid unpleasant encounters with the IRS and determine what that value means to their overall exit plan. It also emphasizes the importance of obtaining a value to dispel common misconceptions about business value and addresses what those misconceptions can mean to a successful exit plan.

Using Short-Term Key Employee Incentives to Increase the Price

Keeping key employees is both important for the long term growth of a business and critical in maximizing the selling price of a business. This paper focuses on short-term incentive plans geared at getting and keeping key employees through a business transition. Included are the elements of a Stay Bonus Plan and information on how to convert long-term key employee incentive plans into a short term plan.

Employee Incentive Planning

“No sophisticated buyer will seriously consider acquiring a company that lacks a good management team.” Furthermore, “Many, if not most, businesses are sold to key employees.” These statements highlight the importance of motivated employees in a business, especially around the time of a transition. This paper explores several plans designed to help employees invest themselves in the business and help it accrue value.

Business Continuity

This paper discusses business continuity planning when an owner dies or becomes disabled. It focuses on the four key problems associated with owner death or disability (continuity of business ownership, company’s loss of financial resources, loss of key talent, and loss of employees and customers), and the ways these affect businesses and solutions for both multi- and single-owner businesses. It also includes the “Business Continuity Construction Form” geared towards sole owners.

Value Drivers

Maximizing value is one of the key focuses of exit planning. This paper focuses on the top characteristics (Value Drivers) that buyers look for when evaluating a business for purchase. It helps business owners maximize the presence of these characteristics in their own businesses.

C vs. S Corporation

This paper examines both C and S corporations and explains why the best form of business entity from a tax standpoint may not be the best when it comes time to sell the business. It also includes case studies and helpful graphics to illustrate the various merits of each business entity.

ESOPs

This paper highlights the role of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) in three common business exit objectives: 1) leave the business soon, 2) leave the business with cash adequate for financial security and 3) leave the business to employees. The reader will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of ESOPs and how ESOPs can be part of an effective exit plan for some business owners.

Transferring your Company to Key Employees

While some owners desire to sell their business to employees, an unpleasant fact remains—their employees very rarely have the means to cash out the owner and often are unable to procure the business. This paper discusses transfer methods suited to this unique situation including a long-term installment buyout of the owner and using another individual’s resources to effect the buyout.

Transferring your Company to Children

Business owners struggle with determining how much and how to transfer their wealth to their children in a way that legitimately minimizes their contribution to the IRS and gives them the outcome that they want. This paper focuses on how such a transfer can be designed and gives an overview of how Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs) work.