In today’s Merger and Acquisition marketplace, an all-cash buyer is as rare as a balanced federal budget. Those buyers who do arrive at the closing table with cash in hand may not be over-burdened with huge bagfuls.
Almost as uncommon as the all-cash buyer is the offer of a valuation multiple that approaches (much less matches) [...]

Fictional owner, Peter Miller, had called his accountant to ask her to help him value his business with the idea of retiring in a few years. No stranger to Exit Planning, his accountant assembled all of Peter’s advisors and launched a complete Exit Planning process. She began, not with an examination of how a transfer [...]

The recession has brought a lot of challenges, but it has also brought the luxury of time: time to figure out exactly what you need from the sale or transfer of your company to support a comfortable post-sale lifetime and time to create enough value in your company to achieve your desired sale price.
Most owners [...]

For many owners, the answer to one question determines their eagerness and ability to leave their companies: “How much is my business worth?” This question is indeed critical and answering it is the second step of your seven-step Exit Plan.
Take Ron Nee, the owner of Landscaping Supply Company, as an example.
Ron was ready — and [...]

We talked about the importance of determining your departure objectives as a first step to leaving your business under most favorable conditions. One of the goals outlined was deciding to whom you will transfer the business: children or family members; key employees; co-owners; or a third party known or unknown.
It is important to appreciate the [...]

Business owners often ask, “How much is my business worth?” The question may be irrelevant and a much better question is: “What is the most I can get for my business under the most favorable terms and conditions?” Answering this question in a more practical manner requires following one of two approaches. The first is [...]

We’ve talked about some important steps in developing a successful business exit plan: Setting a tentative Departure Date so that Advisors can put all planning efforts in context;  assessing your post-retirement financial needs because meeting them is a key measure of your Exit Plan’s success; choosing a successor to give structure to your Exit Plan. Keep in mind, it is not [...]

You, or someone very close to you, are part of 78 million Americans that make up the largest population segment in the United States: Baby Boomers. This generation is classified as anyone born between 1946 and 1964. According to a recent study by BIG Research, 9% of boomers with household incomes exceeding $50,000 are small [...]