Business & Employers

Business Succession & Exit Planning

Most business owners will exit their business someday — whether to family, partners, employees, or a third-party buyer. We help owners begin that planning early, when there is still time to maximize value, minimize tax, and set up the next chapter financially. Some of the best transitions are designed five to ten years in advance, not five months. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), we bring a structured, credentialed approach towards maximizing the value of your business and preparing it for a successful transition.

Schedule a Consultation All Services

Who We Help

  • Founders and second-generation owners thinking about a transition in the next 3 to 10 years
  • Partners in professional service firms preparing for a buy-out or merger
  • Family businesses navigating a transfer to the next generation
  • Owners exploring an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) or management buyout

Succession Planning Areas We Cover

  • Transition options analysis: family, partners, ESOP, management buyout, or strategic/financial buyer
  • Pre-sale value-building advice and coordination with M&A advisors and business valuation experts
  • Tax-efficient sale structuring — asset vs. stock sale, installment sales, F-reorganizations, QSBS planning
  • Charitable strategies (CRT, CLT, DAF) to soften the tax impact of a large liquidity event
  • Post-exit wealth, tax, and lifestyle planning — often the most important conversation owners postpone

Why Owners Start with Us

  • We focus on the financial and wealth side, then bring in M&A, legal, and CPA partners as needed
  • We model your post-sale lifestyle and required portfolio income before you set a price expectation
  • We have walked clients through every common exit path and many uncommon ones
  • We're paid by you — not on a commission from the eventual sale

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start succession planning?

Five to ten years before your target exit is ideal. Two to three years still leaves room for many strategies. Below 18 months, most tax-saving structures are off the table.

What is a QSBS exclusion?

Qualified Small Business Stock (Section 1202) can allow up to $10 million (or more) of capital gains on qualifying C-corporation stock to be excluded from federal tax. Eligibility requires careful structuring — ideally years before sale.

Should I sell to my employees or to a third party?

It depends on price, your timeline, the strength of your management team, and how much liquidity you need at close. We model both paths quantitatively so the decision is based on numbers, not just emotion.

Ready to Talk?

Let's start the conversation.

Every plan begins with a complimentary, no-obligation conversation about your goals.

Schedule a Consultation