July 16, 2014

There is no doubt that working in a family business can be rewarding, but it might also come with some challenges. With regard to succession planning in particular, here are some of the top tips you need to consider when multiple relatives are coming to the same table on a family business.

(Photo Credit: perthnow.com.au)

• Make clear goals and objectives. Getting everyone on the same page with where the business “is” and where it’s “headed” is not easy, but you can bring things full circle by thinking about common goals and visions.
• Create a process for making decisions: Don’t rely on the way you have always done it as a family. You may need more formal structure and written explanations of how decisions are to be made. Don’t forget to factor in your methods for resolving disputes. This can save you time and hassle in the future.
• Generate a comprehensive succession plan that determines active and non-active roles for family members, establishes successors, and determine if additional support for that successor will be required from other family members. Documenting everyone’s role makes it easier.
• Have both a business and owner estate plan. Don’t forget one or the other, as they are both important in a family business. Think about minimizing taxes and protecting assets together.
• Determine the most appropriate avenue for transition. There are numerous options for buyouts or agreements, and this is something you definitely want to discuss with an attorney.

To learn more about how we can help clients with proper succession planning for a family business, call us at 732-521-9455 or send an email to info@lawesq.net.