Small Business Lawyer Rolling Meadows, IL

As a small business owner, it’s important that you create a plan for the future to ensure that your loved ones are aware of your wishes when the time comes. Although the creation of a will and estate plan is often something that many may put off for another day, it is essential for a number of reasons:

• Clearly outlines your wishes so that loved ones are not left guessing
• Ensures that your business is able to thrive for years to come
• Mitigates the risk of familial conflict over your final wishes
• Gives you the power to choose how your assets should be distributed
• May reduce taxes on your assets
• Prevents your assets from ending up in the wrong hands

There are a number of reasons to stop putting off your will, especially if you own a business. Taking action by putting a plan together can provide you with not only peace of mind, but a clear plan that your family can refer to in the event you become incapacitated or pass away. Working with a lawyer who has experience in developing wills and business planning may be in your best interest so that nothing is left up for discussion. 

What is Business Succession?

No matter how large or small your business is, developing a plan of business succession is key. A business succession plan requires that you make a number of both financial and logistical decisions regarding your business. You will start by identifying the party who will be taking over your business. Following this, you will need to consult with a lawyer for help in putting your wishes into a document and developing your estate plan. This is because the sale of a business can be expensive when you consider the tax implications. You will want to make sure that you are able to smoothly transition ownership of your business in the best way possible. Options for succession that business owners may choose include:

• Leaving your business to an heir or someone in your family
• Selling to your business partner
• Allowing an employee to purchase the business
• Selling your business to an outside entity

Business succession is not just for your passing, it plans for your retirement so that you are able to smoothly transition away from your business. Beginning this process years ahead of time can ensure that you are able to move away from your business when you are ready to retire. 

Making Sure That Nothing Is Left Out

There is much to consider when creating your will, especially when incorporating your business into the document. Because of this, you may be concerned that you will forget to include some key element to your plan. Working with an estate planning lawyer can be beneficial for a number of reasons, including:

• To help develop buy-sell agreements
• Outline a clear plan for who will run the business
• To consider tax implications that may arise for those who stand to inherit the business
• Help to avoid probate
• To protect your assets
• Prevent family from selling interests to those outside of the family

There are a number of benefits, many, you may have not considered. Don’t forget to incorporate your business into your final wishes, contact a small business lawyer in Rolling Meadows, IL from Bott & Associates, Ltd. today so that nothing is left out.