Whether to Establish an ESOP Not all companies are fit for an ESOP. The decision to create an ESOP is a significant one, and it requires careful evaluation beyond enthusiasm or the appeal of tax deferral. Two critical considerations stand out when evaluating whether to move forward: (1) independence of the valuation expert, and (2) whether the company is operationally, financially, and structurally suited for ESOP ownership. The author discusses the consequences of sponsoring an ESOP. For many closely held business owners, the question of succession planning often leads to consideration of an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). ESOPs offer…
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Connelly v. United States—Do Redemption Agreements Create a Business Liability? Most have some form of agreement and financing in place to address sudden changes in ownership. In Connelly v. United States, a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court may have turned many of those plans on their heads. The question before the Court was whether a redemption agreement created a liability to the company. The author discusses the decision and impact it may have on succession planning. One of the great challenges for privately held businesses is dealing with the unexpected departure of an owner, whether by disability or death. Most have…
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More Than Just a Conversation What tools are available to assess an owner’s readiness to exit a business? What process exists to enable professionals to assist an owner with exit planning? This article is based on three tools presented and discussed at NACVA and the CTI’s July 2023 Business Valuation and Financial Litigation Super Conference. Those three tools are the Business Exit Readiness Index (BERI), the Owners Dependence Index (ODI), and the Growth Planning Index (GPI). These three owner survey tools deliver actionable information for the advisor(s) and the business owner client. These tools are useful at different points of…
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The Art and Science Most businesses have special characteristics that affect its value. Some are endemic to the industry and some relate to the personal nature of those managing the business. Wealth management businesses have both characteristics. Here are some considerations that go into determining the valuation. Most businesses have special characteristics that affect its value. Some are endemic to the industry and some relate to the personal nature of those managing the business. Wealth management businesses have both characteristics. Here are some considerations that go into determining the valuation. Defining a Wealth Management Business Wealth management businesses manage investible…
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It is Not Just About Having a Buy-Sell Agreement A business is a dynamic entity. Businesses are fueled by the passion and vision of its owners. While it is hard to be passionate about administrative aspects of building a successful business, the truth is, some of that stuff is crucial. Take the buy-sell agreement or similar provisions in an operating agreement—think of it as the business will—the “what happens if” document. And while all situations cannot be covered, the major ones—job performance, disability, divorce, retirement, and death—can. These provisions should be on the must-do list when forming or getting into…
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Some wealth management firms are finding that solutions to two of the industry’s big stumbling blocks—succession planning and diversity—may be intertwined. Indeed, a link between the two emerged when firms began to diversify their advisor staffs, according to executives. To read the full article in FinancialPlanning, click: Is Diversity the Key to the Succession Plan Challenge?
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Some wealth management firms are finding that solutions to two of the industry’s big stumbling blocks—succession planning and diversity—may be intertwined. Indeed, a link between the two emerged when firms began to diversify their advisor staffs, according to executives. To read the full article in FinancialPlanning, click: Is Diversity the Key to the Succession Plan Challenge?
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NACVA Member Survey Findings on Employee Recruitment and Retention Hinge Marketing recently completed a NACVA member survey. In this survey, Dr. Frederiksen learned that NACVA members sought to improve recruiting and retention in their firms. These were the two highest. In addition, gathering insights about how firms approach these challenges, we also asked employee-candidates how they search for and evaluate potential career opportunities. In this article, Dr. Frederiksen provides seven branding tips for aspiring experts.
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Funeral Service Retirement Challenges The funeral industry is dynamic and one where often the directors “build to serve” and overlook the importance of “build to sell”. The authors here provide an overview of the valuation and consulting opportunities.
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When owners of CPA firms begin to think about succession planning, the most important decision they need to make is when to bow out. Brannon Poe explores some factors to consider that can help you achieve the “Goldilocks zone” of timing. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Timing Your Exit.
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Ways 1 through 15 (Part I of II) This is the first of a two-part article, where Edward Mendlowitz shares fifteen of the thirty ways to structure a transfer of a business to a successor. Mendlowitz stresses that a succession plan is important and too often overlooked by business owner(s) involved in day-to-day operations. Capturing the value and having a strategy in place provides ongoing cash flow, a degree of financial security to the owner(s) and their family, and certainty to a host of people that have a business relationship with the subject business. Capturing that value should be a…
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Start Your Succession Plan Decades in Advance Engaging in a decades-long succession-planning process can ensure that clients are taken care of and a practice continues to thrive after its founder retires. Recruiting young advisers can bring new ideas to your practice and help keep it going. Mike Lockwood, representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp., explains. To read the full article in Wealth & Management, click: Succession Planning is Not About You. It’s About Your Clients.
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How to Avoid Common Mistakes in Accounting Firm M&A Steer clear of these fatal flaws and your acquisition will have a much better chance of succeeding. For firms that want to expand, Brannon Poe, founder of accounting practice brokerage firm Poe Group Advisors, explains how finding strategic solutions to potential roadblocks can greatly impact post-close results. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Acquisition Rules for CPA Firms to Live by.
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A Case Study An ESOP is one of many options available to business owners considering succession-planning options. There are substantial advantages, but there are also regulatory and cost considerations. A feasibility study may suggest whether the ESOP is an appropriate option. In this article, authors Kelly Finnell and Andrew Holmes share their views on when an ESOP is feasible using a case study.
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Maximizing value by minimizing risk Most private company owners are not aware of the impact of company-specific risk on the value of their businesses. When they are faced with a need to increase the value of their businesses in order to close a value gap, they typically only focus on growing sales, reducing costs, or making an acquisition. None of those strategies are the most effective initial way to increase value. Adopting measures to reduce company-specific risk is the best initial way to maximize value.
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Cash Flow is the Most Important Financial Item for a Small Business Owners to Pay Attention To. Here’s How to Speed it Up. Cash flow–how cash flows through your organization from sale to invoice to receipt–is the lifeblood of a small company, writes Eric V. Holtzclaw at Inc.com. And speeding up your cash flow allows you to do more and gives your company more stability. Here are seven tips:
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“You’re The Boss” Author Josh Patrick Suggests Business Owners Use Credentialed Advisers Who Work Only for You, Employing Intermediaries, Developing a Personal Financial Plan, More. Josh Patrick is a founder and principal at Stage 2 Planning Partners, where he works with private business owners on creating personal and business value. Recently he offered some recommendations about selling a business at the New York Times “You’re the Boss” blog. Here are five of the “hard-earned” lessons he passes on.
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Deal Activity Will Likely See a Surge in 2013 if a Meaningful Deficit-Reduction Compromise Can Be Reached Wallace Witkowski at Marketwatch reported in mid-December that deal activity will likely see a surge in 2013 if a meaningful deficit-reduction compromise can be reached. Otherwise the market will remain stunted as it was in the past year. Democrats and Republicans didn’t come to a full agreement by year end, or even early January, but the fact that it’s still possible within weeks and months allows his prediction to stand:
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Valuation Experts Need to Be an Integral Part of Every Business Owners’ Initial Plan. Herbert Kalman explains why business owners need to begin thinking about an eventual exit from their very beginning plans. Here’s solid advice on the value and structure of buy-sell agreements, formal business planning, annual valuations, networking, and other planning essentials.
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Owners: Don’t Exit Before You’re Ready, Lock Yourself In, or Count on Future Consulting There is no single formula that will result in a happy retirement for business owners. Over 75 percent of business owners say they regretted selling their companies a year after the sale, according to a PwC study entitled “Whose Business is it Anyway?” But there are ways to improve the chances that consultants can help owners exit their business successfully and enjoy a rewarding retirement, writes Richard Jackim, attorney and co-founder of the Exit Planning Institute. Here are common exit planning mistakes consultants can help business…