Business Succession

For Houston Business Owners, Business Succession Planning is a Must

Published on: July 17, 2020 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

There are few challenges as rewarding as running a successful business. Business owners pour years of hard work into pursuing passions that are about more than just making money. So it makes sense that many business owners prefer to have a say in what happens to their business after they leave it. That is why it is important for all Houston business owners to have a plan for succession in place in case something happens that prevents them from being able to run their business.

Like prudent estate planning, creating a business succession plan requires some thought. The options are numerous, and what is right for one person or business will not necessarily be right for another. Here are some things to consider when it comes to crafting a business succession plan:

Type of Business Entity

How Do I Incorporate My Business into My Estate Planning?

Published on: January 9, 2020 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

“Running and owning a business is just like raising a child: Both are investments in the future, and both require a lot of time, resources and effort to raise successfully. One can argue that you would treat your business like you'd treat a child; you'd want it to succeed even after you've passed on or retired.”

When people think about estate planning, many just think about their personal property and their children’s future. If you have a successful business, you may want to think about having it continue after you retire or pass away.

Forbes’ recent article entitled “Why Business Owners Should Think About Estate Planning Sooner Than Later” says that many business owners believe that estate planning and getting their affairs in order happens when they’re older. While that’s true for the most part, it’s only because that’s the stage of life when many people begin pondering their mortality and worrying about what will happen next or what will happen when they're gone. The day-to-day concerns and running of a business is also more than enough to worry about, let alone adding one's mortality to the worry list at the earlier stages in your life.

What Happens to a Business When the Owner Retires?

Published on: September 24, 2018 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

It takes time to build a business, and it can take just as long to create a strong succession plan.

Many business owners can’t imagine a life without the business they built, so they often postpone planning for their own retirement and the sale or transfer of the business. That doesn’t work out well.

There are steps to take when business owners decide to actively engage in planning for their business to continue to thrive after they step down. This article from Forbes, “Eight Factors To Consider Before Retiring From Your Business,” offers some useful tips.