We have a strong reputation and a very good relationship with entrepreneurs who are going through a process of selling their business.”
Both courage and caution are needed to forge your own fortune. Too often entrepreneurs neglect their personal finances in pursuit of business growth. But it's never too early to seek the right advice - whether you're planning what to do with the proceeds of sale or need a nest egg while your business grows.
Preparedness and partnering with the right experts can make the journey that much smoother - and more impactful.
Selling a business: Personal considerations
Pushing out matters of personal wealth to the post-sale period may have financial implications when it comes to decisions about dividing business and personal assets, tax planning and charitable donations. So it makes sense to optimise certain entry points before, during and after business sale. We've outlined some key moments below.
Partnering with an adviser early on can help you avoid common costly structuring, planning and taxation pitfalls and preparing early for future spending is preferable to waiting until you secure your cash post-sale. You might also like to prepare family, friends and dependents ahead of the sale, as public disclosure may require sensitivity and discretion.
Securing cash from day one is not as straightforward as it seems. Firstly, you'll need to consider matters of liquidity and security, opening the right accounts in advance. Then there's the question of what to do with your wealth - with life-changing consequences. So it's best to wait a while before you take any long-term, irreversible decisions.
As you look forward, it helps to divide your assets into 'pots' with varying degrees of risk and return - from cash and tangible assets like a family home or jewellery, to riskier growth assets, such as remaining business interests. You'll also want to plan how much to place in a 'nest egg' and consider how you might fund your future lifestyle.
Investment decisions post-sale are critical when it comes to protecting your hard-earned wealth for generations to come. You'll want inflation-beating returns over the long term.
Selling a business: corporate considerations
The market environment, the nature of the business, and your personal and professional objectives are key factors in your decision to sell, so you'll want a strong personal advisory team alongside your corporate one. We work closely with our Global Advisory division to champion your personal interests, while your corporate team can focus on your business.
It’s crucial businesses find the right time to sell, this means considering the performance of the business, the receptiveness of the market and alignment of leadership and shareholders. Jeremy Furness of Arrowpoint Advisory and Tim Phillips, co-founder of Gate One, shared their expertise on how entrepreneurs should prepare for any future exit.
Guiding your wealth
Whether you are growing your business or have just completed a sale, we can help preserve and grow your wealth. Read the articles below to learn more.
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Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR), formerly Entrepreneurs’ Relief, is a tax break that can give owners of private companies a tax saving worth up to £100,000. To claim the relief you must meet strict ownership criteria and prepare your finances in advance.
Business Asset Disposal Relief – previously known as Entrepreneurs' Relief – is a tax benefit in the UK that reduces the capital gains tax owed when disposing of certain business assets. It aims to encourage entrepreneurship by providing favourable tax treatment to individuals selling their businesses or shares in qualifying companies.
The relief can be used by sole traders and partners, as well as certain company shareholders and trustees. It is available when the disposal of a business, or part of a business, takes place.
The information above is not intended and should not be construed as tax advice.
Entrepreneurs’ Relief launched in April 2008 and was renamed Business Asset Disposal Relief in April 2020. The purpose and basic concept of the tax benefit remained the same, but the lifetime limit the relief was lowered from £10 million to £1 million.
The maximum capital gains tax saving using Business Asset Disposal Relief is £100,000 – the difference between paying tax on £1 million at 20% and paying the tax at a rate of 10%.
The information above is not intended and should not be construed as tax advice.
There are rules which limit who can benefit from Business Asset Disposal Relief. Individuals selling all or part of their business must have been a sole trader or business partner for at least two years up to the date of the sale.
When selling shares, the business must be classified as a “personal trading company” in order to qualify. The individual claiming the relief should be an officer or employee of the company, or hold at least 5% of the company's ordinary share capital and voting rights. Qualifying shares must be ordinary shares with voting rights and carry the right to at least 5% of the company's distributable profits and net assets.
These conditions must have been met for at least two years before the disposal date.
The information above is not intended and should not be construed as tax advice.
For more information on Business Asset Disposal Relief, please read our article, 'Earn tax relief when selling your business'.
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