The life cycle of the small business can be summed up in three segments: 1) starting the business; 2) operating the business; and 3) getting out of the business. This course focuses on getting out of the business. The most elusive element of owning a small business can be finding the proper exit strategy. This course is designed to provide the business consulting practitioner with tools and concepts to advise the small business owner and assist them in developing the right exit strategy. The course covers exit strategies related to third-party sales and succession planning within a family.
Target Audience
Practitioners with small business clients that will eventually sell that business to third parties or family members that need advice regarding exiting the business
Course Objectives
Understand the process of selling a business from finding a buyer to completing the sale
Understand how business brokers operate and the fees that they charge
Discuss the difference between selling the business and leaving the business: the transition period
Protect the seller’s interest in a seller-financed sale
Understand how estate planning and family succession of a business interact
Understand the use of discounts in transfers of ownership interests to family members
Discuss when to turn over operations while maintaining control of a family business: drawing distributions from the business for retirement and receiving a step-up in basis at death
Understand various structuring options for family business succession
Subjects
How to find unrelated buyers of a business
Maintaining control of the business succession process
Turning over the reins to family members: when to give up control
Finding the right team to sell a business
Options for selling a business to an unrelated party
Options for selling a business to family members
Options for selling a business to employees
Overcoming the emotional attachment to a business
Selling to family members for a life annuity
Using family partnerships and trusts to transfer a business
Prerequisites
A basic understanding of business entity types and taxation of sales of businesses
