How much of my net worth should be tied up in my business?

There is no fixed rule, but concentration is the risk worth measuring. When most of a household's net worth sits in one illiquid asset that also generates the income, both the retirement plan and the emergency plan depend on a single outcome. Many owners work toward building assets outside the business well before they intend to sell.

When should I start planning my business exit?

Most owners benefit from starting three to five years before an intended sale. That window allows time to clean up financials, reduce owner dependence, and address tax positioning. Planning started in the year of a sale leaves far fewer options open.

What is the difference between what my business is worth to me and to a buyer?

Owners often value the business on the income it produces for them today. Buyers value it on what it produces without them, after replacing the owner's role and removing owner-specific benefits. The gap between those two figures is frequently larger than expected.

Do I need a valuation before planning?

No. A planning conversation can begin with a working estimate and a stress test at a lower figure. A formal valuation becomes important when a transaction, a buy-sell agreement, or an estate matter depends on the number.

What does a Connect Meeting involve?

A Connect Meeting is a 60-minute conversation with an advisor at no cost. You bring your situation and questions. We tell you what we see, where the gaps are, and whether working together makes sense. There is no obligation to continue.

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Here is Your Year-End Drift Check

One page, about 10 minutes

Download The drift check

If you only do one section, do the paperwork one. Stale beneficiaries and titling that no longer matches your intent cause more damage than a drifted allocation, and they take fifteen minutes to fix.

Anything you want to talk through, a Connect Meeting is 60 minutes at no cost. Arrive at the new year with a plan rather than a panic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common year-end items include remaining retirement and HSA contribution room, charitable giving decisions, required distributions, beneficiary designations, account titling, and whether your investment mix still matches your target. Deadlines vary, and several depend on a custodian processing the request before December 31.
Drift is what happens when market movement changes your mix without any decision on your part. A portfolio set at sixty percent stocks can carry meaningfully more risk after a strong run. Reviewing the current mix against the target is how you find it.
Review beneficiary designations after any marriage, divorce, birth, or death in the family, and otherwise at least once a year. Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance policies generally control who receives the asset, regardless of what a will says.
Time and availability. Several year-end actions require a third party to process a request, and those queues lengthen through December. Decisions made under a deadline also tend to be made under whatever mood the market is in that week.
A Connect Meeting is a 60 minute conversation with an advisor at no cost. You bring your situation and questions. We tell you what we see, where the gaps are, and whether working together makes sense. There is no obligation to continue.

Here is Your Year-End Drift Check

Frequently Asked Questions

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