A financial advisor for business owners selling a business

Before you sign: what an advisor does for a seller

What you keep is mostly decided before the price is. Whether it is an asset sale or a stock sale, how much is paid at closing versus an earnout or a seller note, and what your basis is can move the after-tax number by hundreds of thousands of dollars on the same price. The first thing I do is run your numbers the way the buyer’s side will run them, so you walk into the negotiation knowing what each structure leaves you. More in what the seller keeps in an asset sale versus a stock sale and what tax you pay when you sell a business.

Then the five things that usually have to change, which take one to three years, not one to three weeks: three years of clean financials a CPA has reviewed; no customer over about 15 percent of revenue; a business that runs thirty days without you; the owner retirement plan funded while you still have earned income; and the entity, beneficiary and estate documents matching what you intend. The scorecard tells you which of the five is your problem. Where to begin: what exit planning is and when to start.

After the wire

Set aside the tax first, park the rest somewhere safe and boring, and give yourself 90 days to plan. What to do after you sell your business walks through the order, and the free First 1,000 Days Planner for readers of After the Wire keeps the decisions in sequence.

Not selling yet?

If the sale is further out, start with how a closely held business becomes retirement income: paying yourself, the retirement plan you should have, and what the business is actually worth to your plan.

Questions owners ask

When should a business owner talk to a financial advisor about selling?

Before the letter of intent. Many of the moves that matter need three to five years of lead time, and the deal structure and the household plan work best when they are built together. If you have already signed, book the call before the wire lands; the first ninety days after closing set the tax bill for the year.

What does working with you cost?

The first conversation is free: thirty minutes, in person, by phone or by video, and you leave with the three things worth looking at next, in writing. After that I am paid through LPL Financial by planning fees, advisory fees, and commissions on insurance products, all disclosed in writing before any engagement. I pay no referral fees and receive none.

Do you replace my CPA or my attorney?

No. I work alongside them. Your CPA keeps the return, your attorney keeps the documents, and both see the plan summary before you do.

How do I check a financial advisor before I hire one?

Confirm the certification with the CFP Board’s online verification tool and look up the advisor on FINRA BrokerCheck. Then ask how they are paid, what standard of care applies to each service you would use, what a written plan includes, and how often you will meet. You should know what working together costs before you commit to anything.

Do you work with owners outside Durham and Chapel Hill?

Yes. I meet owners in person in Durham, Chapel Hill and nearby, and by video anywhere.

Book a free 30-minute call

Educational only. Examples on this site are hypothetical and are not a guarantee of any result, and nothing here is tax, legal, or investment advice for your situation.