Common Pitfalls in Family-Owned Businesses
Your family and your business are two of your top priorities. You would not do anything to compromise either of them. But working with family members in a family-owned business presents unique challenges that can cause lasting damage to both if not properly managed....How to Handle Conflicts in Family-Owned Businesses
Conflicts are inevitable within businesses and families. Personal rivalries, differences of opinion, competition for resources, and questions of prestige can set individuals at odds and lead to warring factions with competing loyalties. Resolving conflicts in both...Business Trusts 101: What Entrepreneurs Should Know about Using a Business Trust
Trusts are usually associated with estate planning, but trusts can also apply to business operations. As a small business owner, you can hold the business in a trust instead of using a business entity such as a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. Business...When Should I Think about Selling my Business?
Part of the reward of being a small business owner is seeing your hard work pay off over the years. The many sacrifices you made for your business can all seem worth it on the day you close a deal to sell your company. But if you are dreaming of that day, it will take...What Happens When an LLC Member Dies?
In theory, a limited liability company (LLC) can last in perpetuity. However, the owners of an LLC should plan for the day when they are no longer there to run their business. This includes not only situations like retirement or career change, but also a decidedly...Can I Provide Services Instead of Capital to a New LLC?
Small business owners put their blood, sweat, and tears into ensuring the success of their company, which, though difficult to measure, are no less valuable than capital contributions. At the same time, if you are investing your time and energy into a limited...How to Talk to Your Family About Business Succession
Benjamin Franklin famously quipped, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” From the very beginning, you had a plan for your business to succeed. You set goals and developed methods to achieve those goals. Your business has stood the test of time because you...Key Person Insurance: What Is It and Do I Need It?
We protect what we value most with insurance. Car insurance and home insurance ensure that we can financially survive a major property loss. Life insurance pays money to beneficiaries after a death, acting as a financial lifeline to the deceased’s loved ones. Business...Considerations Before Owning a Business with Your Spouse
Both running a successful business and having a successful marriage require commitment and hard work. Operating a business as a married couple can present its share of challenges, but being devoted to one another as spouses and as business partners can bring higher...Why You Should Consider Putting Your LLC into a Trust
The limited liability company (LLC) is a popular business structure that offers liability protection and avoidance of double taxation. Trusts are popular asset transfer vehicles that allow you to avoid probate and keep assets out of the hands of creditors. By placing...What You Need to Know about Buy-Sell Agreements
If you are a business owner, you probably worry about your bottom line, employee retention, and health insurance premiums, but have you also considered what will happen to your business if you are in an accident? What if your business partner gets divorced and...Hobby Lobby Celebrates ‘Christ the Lord’ in Full-Page Christmas Ads
The reason for the season. "Today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." – Luke 2:11https://t.co/ePL8UKhjFY pic.twitter.com/P6L4hBPHeg— Official Hobby Lobby (@HobbyLobby) December 25, 2019 Do you have a...4 Reasons to Consider Changing Your Business Structure
As your small business expands and evolves, it may make sense to consider changing its structure. Many small businesses start out as sole proprietorships or partnerships, with only one or two owners and no employees. Over time, as your business grows and...6 Key Considerations for Passing Down a Family Business
You have spent years building your small business, but have you taken time to consider what will happen to it when you retire, become disabled, or pass away? Although it is often hard to fathom an event that may not occur for many years, it is important to put...Funding a Buy-Sell Agreement with Life Insurance
As a partner or co-owner (private shareholder) of a business, you’ve spent years building a valuable financial interest in your company. You may have considered setting up a buy-sell agreement to ensure your surviving family a smooth sale of your business...Succession Planning for Wineries and Vineyards
With enough lead time, it can be possible to eliminate estate tax, or at least to minimize and defer the payment of such tax. With the estate tax rate a significant 40 percent, this can make all the difference in allowing a business to remain family-owned, for...Sackler Family Behind Oxycontin Faces Lawsuits Over Opioid Abuse
In at least one sense business succession planning is like planning for guns: you need to make sure beneficiaries are responsible enough to handle the asset. Plus a little asset protection might be a good idea. Putting aside the ultimate outcome of the...Family Business Succession Planning: Communicate Now, or Never Rest in Peace
It may seem oversimplified, but communication really is paramount to successful succession planning, and it needs to begin when the founders are still in control. This paves the way for properly communicating the founders’s wishes and plans, and will also give...Selling a Closely Held Business – Part 1: Exit Planning
More on this topic at our weekly seminar here. In closely held businesses, owners and managers are focused on operations and usually don’t have extensive experience buying and selling companies. However, advanced exit planning allows owners and management to...
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