BWD Spring/Summer 2015 | Page 11

Spring/Summer 2015 | BWD 11 Transition & succession planning delivered Have you thought about your transition? If not, you’re not alone. According to the Exit Planning Institute: • Two-thirds of business owners of privately-held businesses are not familiar with their exit options • Eighty-three percent of them have no written transition plan • … and nearly half (49 percent) have done no transition planning at all That might change in the coming years as more baby boomers look to move on to the next phase of their lives. Doing so requires attention to, and investment in, transition and succession planning. Start planning now to give yourself control over how and when you transition, to maximize the value of your business, and to promote your family legacy — we’re here to help: • What’s your transition strategy? (page 12) features the three key objectives behind every effective transition plan. • Determining the real value of your business (page 14) provides a broad overview of what goes into establishing the true value of a business. • Preparing the next generation (page 16) addresses the issues facing a family member — or members — taking over a business. • Management after the sale (page 18) covers a critical phase in the transition of a business — when new management begins, and the expectations and changes they bring with them. • Critical aspects of selling your business (page 20) presents a handy overview of essential legal aspects you’re likely to encounter during the succession or transition process. We hope the following pages help enhance your understanding of effective transition and succession planning. Contact any of our advisors to learn even more about this important stage in every business’s life cycle.