Financial Planning After Selling a Business
Selling a business can be one of the most rewarding financial events of your life.
It can also be one of the most complex.
A business sale often creates major decisions around taxes, investing, long term income planning, and how to protect and grow the wealth you have built.
If you are asking questions like:
-What should I do after selling my business?
-How do I invest the proceeds from a business sale?
-How much should I set aside for taxes?
-Can I retire after selling my business?
-How do I protect my wealth after a liquidity event?
At Apriem Advisors, we help business owners and families plan through the transition from business ownership to long term wealth management.
Liquidity Event Planning and Why It Matters
A liquidity event is any major financial event that converts an illiquid asset into cash or marketable investments.
For business owners, this is often the first time wealth becomes fully investable outside the business.
Liquidity event planning matters because the wrong decision in the first year can create:
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unnecessary taxes
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concentrated investment risk
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long term income instability
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regret around charitable or legacy planning
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missed opportunities to structure wealth intentionally
Tax Planning After Selling a Business
Taxes are often one of the biggest risks after a business sale.
Even highly successful business owners can be surprised by how much they owe, especially if the sale is structured in a way that creates a large tax bill in a single year.
Planning often includes:
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estimating taxes from the sale proceeds
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planning for capital gains and state taxes
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coordinating with your CPA and attorney
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evaluating timing and payment schedules
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building a plan for how much cash to reserve
A strong tax plan helps protect you from making investment decisions that later create liquidity stress.
Investing the Proceeds From a Business Sale
Once the sale is complete, the next major question is often “How do I invest the money?”
For many former business owners, this is a major shift.
Instead of reinvesting in the business, you are now investing in a diversified portfolio designed to support long term goals.
We help clients build an investment strategy that supports:
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long term growth
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income planning
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diversification and risk management
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tax efficiency
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protecting wealth during market volatility
Retirement Planning After a Business Sale
Many business owners are financially ready to retire after a sale, but still feel uncertain about how to make the transition.
Retirement planning after selling a business often includes:
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building a retirement income strategy
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evaluating retirement timing
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creating a withdrawal plan
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planning for healthcare and Medicare
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tax planning for the years after the sale
We help clients connect their new liquidity to a clear long term retirement plan.
Managing Concentrated Risk and Lifestyle Inflation
A business sale can create a sense of freedom, but it can also create new risk.
Common risks after a liquidity event include:
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overspending early in the transition
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investing too aggressively or too conservatively
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holding too much cash long term
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investing based on fear or excitement
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losing the structure the business once provided
A thoughtful wealth management plan helps protect against these common mistakes.
Charitable Giving and Donor Advised Fund Planning
Many business owners want to use part of the sale proceeds to support charitable goals.
Liquidity events can create powerful opportunities for tax efficient giving.
Charitable planning after selling a business may include:
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donor advised fund strategy
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gifting appreciated assets
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coordinating charitable goals with tax planning
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creating a family giving plan
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legacy planning through philanthropy
Estate Planning and Legacy Planning After Selling a Business
A business sale often changes estate planning priorities.
Once wealth becomes liquid, many clients want to ensure it is protected, structured, and passed efficiently to family.
This often includes:
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trust and estate planning coordination
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beneficiary strategy and account titling review
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tax aware wealth transfer planning
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long term family legacy planning
We coordinate planning so the transition from business owner to investor is intentional and secure.
Who We Work With
We work with business owners and families who are:
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preparing to sell a business within the next few years
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in the middle of a business sale process
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recently sold a business and want a plan for what comes next
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navigating a large liquidity event and want help investing proceeds
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looking for a long term wealth management relationship after the sale
How We Help Through a Business Sale Transition
Liquidity event planning requires more than investment management.
It requires coordination across taxes, investments, retirement planning, and long term wealth strategy.
Our work often includes:
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tax planning coordination with your CPA
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investment strategy and portfolio design
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cash flow and retirement income planning
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charitable planning and donor advised fund strategy
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estate planning coordination
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ongoing wealth management and planning support
