Perhaps the most challenging aspect of exiting your business is learning how to maximize the value that you ultimately realize, after taxes, from the sale of your business. Exiting a business is a taxable event. Proper exit planning puts the business owner in control and avoids any surprise tax implications. We have found that strategies engineered to minimize taxes, increase cash flow, owner compensation and benefits, coupled with improved entity structure and and business practices to better protect assets have a definite impact on the marketability of a business.

A properly designed and executed exit plan addresses all the business, personal, financial, legal and tax issues involved in sellling your privately-held business. Its purpose is to ensure the survival of the business, to preserve wealth for your family, and to provide continuity to your employees, customers and vendors.

Exit planning outcomes have proven that business owners will leave with greater wealth, pay less in taxes, retain more influence and have a smoother transition than if left to chance.

Facts:

• You will ultimately exit your business, either voluntarily or involuntarily
• Most business owners have a majority of their wealth trapped in their business
• An improperly structured exit could erode over 55% of the gross proceeds of the sale of a business