Estate Planning for Business Owners Business owners have so much going on that estate planning is usually at the bottom of this list. You work so hard to build your business and to keep it running successfully, the to-do lists are endless. But one task you should have on your list is completing your [...]
Maximize the Value of Your Business It’s anticipated that during the next two decades, retiring business owners will sell over twelve million businesses. So, if you are over the age of forty and your business is the main asset of your life’s work, it’s important to preserve your legacy. This is especially true when it [...]
Our clients often ask us where to keep their important documents, such as estate planning documents (wills, trusts, and powers of appointment), insurance policies, contracts, and other important financial documents. The answer to this question often depends on how quickly you need to gain access to such documents. For instance, without the requisite power [...]
Good news! On December 20th, the Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed SB 867 into law, reducing Illinois' excessive limited liability company's (LLCs) filing and maintenance fees. This law went into effect immediately upon signing, i.e. December 20, 2017. Although Illinois has a long way to go to make this state attractive for small businesses [...]
The holidays are quickly approaching and many of you will have a chance to see your parents and, for some of you, your grandparents. This would be an excellent opportunity to discuss your parents’ future and estate planning needs among the loved ones. Yet, discussing the retirement plans and estate planning needs with your [...]
Every small business owner is faced with various business risks, whether related to an injury, theft, damage to property, employee discrimination claims, or liability suits. As much as you plan for success, as a business owner, you must have these risks on your radar. You should be prepared if and when they materialize. What [...]
Recently, I received a phone call from a good friend of mine, telling me that he is going through a divorce. Although he was expecting an amicable split of his liquid assets and share custody of his minor children, he could not say the same about his business ownership. My client’s divorce is now at risk [...]
How will a Trump presidency impact M & As. Donald Trump is set to become the nation’s 45th president when he is inaugurated on January 20, 2017. A Trump presidency promises to bring big changes - for better or worse. He has vowed to bring jobs and businesses back to the United [...]
Business owners often want their employment contracts to contain the most restrictive covenants. Yet, overzealous restrictive covenants may backfire if deemed overly restrictive, unreasonable, and going further than necessary to protect the “legitimate business interests,” which is an elusive concept. A restrictive covenant is a type of contractual arrangement. It is a clause in an [...]
The past few years have seen an increase in small to middle-sized business sales. The economic forecast suggests that this trend will continue. If you are considering a business sale, it’s vital to understand the selling process and prepare your business for the contemplated sale well before you try to put your business on the [...]
