Business exit planning
If you’ve built and managed a successful business, you’ll know the importance of planning.The decision to sell a business is likely to be one of the most important in your career. This is when years or decades of effort, ingenuity and courage are crystallised.
Planning ahead will help you to maximise the value of your business at the moment of sale. It will also ensure that you are prepared for the life stages that lie ahead. Key considerations include tax efficiency, income replacement, safeguarding your capital, making provision for ongoing business interests and ensuring that your wishes for others, including your family, are taken into account.
Cazenove Capital’s dedicated business owners team has guided many individuals and families through business exits. We work with you to ensure your wealth is appropriately structured and managed to meet your evolving priorities - at every stage of the exit journey.
Pre-exit
Business owners should be considering the ownership structure of their business long before a sale is actually on the cards. Arrangements put in place early on can result in a smoother process – and secure better outcomes – when you do eventually decide to sell. Inheritance tax, succession planning and residency are the topics we will typically focus on at an early stage.
Exit
There is significant benefit to having a wealth manager on your team as you go through the exit process. We work closely with a wide range of professionals, including lawyers and tax advisers, and can make introductions where necessary to ensure you have the team you need for a successful exit. We can support you through the negotiation process and help you understand the implications of any deal. What does a given exit valuation mean for your income and longer-term objectives? Not all transactions are straightforward and may involve complexities such as earn-outs and stock-based payments. We can help you deal with the practicalities these may involve.
Post-exit
The sale of a business is generally a time for celebration. In the months that follow the completion of a deal, however, former business owners may find themselves grappling with challenging questions as they adjust to a new role and lifestyle. “How should I spend my time? What is my wealth for? How do I involve my children – or perhaps protect them from it?”. They also face a significant shift in their personal financial circumstances as they move from a position where their wealth is tied up in a company - to one where it is more liquid.
Case Studies
How we helped an entrepreneur following a significant business sale
Following the sale of a family-owned business, our client came to us for advice on estate planning and investment structuring. We helped her plan for the efficient transfer of wealth to her children and charity, while providing a high degree of flexibility and minimising complexity.
Helping a successful entrepreneur transition his wealth into a diversified, long-term portfolio
Our client is a UK resident, non-UK domiciled entrepreneur. We worked with him over a number of years to reduce his exposure to a listed company and build a long-term, diversified portfolio. We tailored our strategy to take into account his tax status.
Contact us
To discuss your wealth management requirements, or to find out more about our services, please contact us below.