Selling a business is a significant decision, often marking the culmination of years, if not decades, of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. The process can be complex and emotionally charged, and being well-prepared is key to ensuring a smooth transition and achieving the best possible outcome. This article will provide a detailed checklist to help guide medium-sized business owners through the necessary steps in preparing for the sale of their business.
It’s not easy to talk about estate planning; after all, who wants to think about what might happen when they’re no longer here? It’s also a complicated topic, covering investments, tax and real estate, not to mention hard-to-navigate family issues. There’s far more to it than just making a will — find out exactly what’s involved in estate planning. As a result, many people make mistakes or forget important steps when developing their estate plan, which can lead to trouble for their loved ones.
Those Canadians (45%) who say that they have a retirement plan feel less stressed about their future because retirement feels more attainable. However, many of those are unaware of what a real retirement plan looks like. Regularly saving in a company pension plan, an RRSP or a TFSA is not a retirement plan.
Many Canadians designate a direct beneficiary on their RRSP, RRIF, TFSA or insurance policies without giving it a second thought (although in Quebec, beneficiary designations are only effective on insurance policies). However, designating a direct beneficiary is not recommended for many plan/policy owners, where they have non-traditional or unique family situations, as it can lead to unfavourable tax implications for beneficiaries.
Did you know that many Canadians are not adequately prepared to pass on or inherit family wealth? This is often due to a lack of communication and planning. The good news is that it’s never too early or too late to start. Planning helps you identify tax saving opportunities, mitigate potential financial gaps and maximize your current lifestyle.
The lifetime capital gains exemption (LCGE) is one of the key tax planning advantages available to small business owners, farmers, and fishers. In 2021, it can exempt from tax up to $892,218 of capital gains realized on the sale of shares of a qualified small business corporation and up to $1 million of capital gains realized on the sale of shares of a family farm or fishing corporation.