Address ownership transfer issues with a buy-sell agreement

Description

Abstract: There are a number of reasons why owners of closely held businesses put off discussing how ownership interests will be transferred when an owner exits the firm. For one, owners may be concerned about conflicts that could arise if an owner wants to transfer interests to family members or sell them to outsiders. For another, issues such as how fellow owners (or the business itself) will be able to pay for an exiting owner’s interests or the effect of the agreement on estate taxes can seem overwhelmingly complex. This article explains how a buy-sell agreement, when drafted carefully, can address these issues and more.