Business Owner Planning
For most business owners, the business is the retirement plan. That's a lot to rest on one event.
Running a successful business gives you a lot of confidence. Income's coming in, the value is building, and retirement feels like a problem for future you. The issue is, future you shows up faster than expected. And when it does, the move from business income to personal wealth doesn't happen automatically. We work with business owners to make sure they're ready for that moment, and set up well on the other side of it.
Most owners aren't as ready as they think
We see this a lot. An owner has built something real, the income is good, and retirement is always "a few years away." Then a few years go by. The numbers below aren't surprising to us, but they tend to get people's attention.
Here's the question we start with: if you sold today, would the proceeds actually fund the retirement you want? Most owners haven't done that math. That's where we begin.
Before the sale and after it
Our work with business owners really comes down to two phases. They're different challenges, but you can't plan one without the other. What you do before the sale has a direct impact on what's possible after it.
Before the sale
Are you financially ready to exit?
We help you figure out what the business needs to net you to retire on your terms, what that number looks like after taxes, and whether your personal finances are ready to carry your lifestyle without the business behind them. If there are gaps, it's a lot better to find them now than the year before you want to sell.
After the sale
What happens to the proceeds?
A sale doesn't automatically turn into a retirement. The proceeds need a plan. We work with you on deploying that capital tax-efficiently, replacing the income the business was generating, and making sure the wealth you spent years building actually works for you in retirement the way you need it to.
The questions most owners have been sitting on for years
We have these conversations every week. If any of these sound familiar, you're not alone.
What does my business actually need to sell for?
Not what you're hoping for. What it needs to sell for to replace your income, cover your expenses, and carry your retirement without running short. That number is usually different from what owners have in their heads, and we'd rather find that out now than after you've already started the process.
What will I actually net after taxes?
The gross sale price and what lands in your account are rarely the same number. Deal structure, asset vs. stock sale, capital gains treatment, installment arrangements. All of it affects the outcome. We model this before a transaction, not after, so there are no surprises.
Do I have enough outside the business to retire comfortably?
A lot of business owners have put everything back into the company for years. Limited personal assets outside of it. We look at the full picture and figure out whether there are savings, retirement accounts, or other vehicles that need to be built up before a sale happens.
How do I replace the income the business was providing?
Business ownership tends to blur the line between personal and business expenses in ways that are hard to untangle. After a sale, that income stops. We work through what your personal income needs actually are and structure the proceeds to meet them reliably over time.
What does my financial life look like in year five after the sale?
Year one after an exit is usually fine. It's the years after that, when the proceeds need to be working hard, where owners can find themselves without a clear direction. We build that plan well before closing so you're not making big decisions under pressure.
Multiple designations. One coordinated team.
Exit planning for business owners is a core part of what we do here, not something we added to a long list of services. Our team holds multiple designations that are specifically relevant to this kind of work, including the CEPA® credential from the Exit Planning Institute.
That matters because your exit isn't just a business transaction. It touches your investments, your tax picture, and your retirement all at the same time. You need someone who can work across all of it, not just one piece.
CEPA®
Certified Exit Planning Advisor. The leading credential in exit planning and business transition strategy, issued by the Exit Planning Institute. Requires a minimum of five years working directly with business owners.
CFP® Certification
Our team includes a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional. The CFP® certification is the standard for comprehensive personal financial planning, covering retirement, tax, estate, and investment strategy.
CAIA
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst. Specialized expertise in alternative investments and private equity, relevant to how post-exit wealth gets structured and deployed.
We're a boutique firm, which means you work with the same people throughout the whole process. You're not handed off to someone junior after the first meeting.
Explore related pages
Financial Planning
See how we build the comprehensive plan that connects your exit to your retirement.
Learn more ›
Investment Strategies
Understand how we deploy and manage your wealth after the sale.
Learn more ›
If you're within five years of a potential exit, this is the right time to have the conversation.
The owners who get the most out of a sale are the ones who started planning early. Not because they had everything figured out, but because they had enough time to close the gaps. Let's take a look at where things stand.
Schedule a ConversationSources
- Exit Planning Institute. (2023). National State of Owner Readiness Report — business owner net worth concentration data. exit-planning-institute.org
- Exit Planning Institute. (2023). National State of Owner Readiness Report — owner exit timeline and documented plan data. exit-planning-institute.org
- RBC Wealth Management. (2024). Business Exit Planning: Overcoming Emotional and Financial Roadblocks. rbcwealthmanagement.com