As the year closes, business owners and executives face a long list of items—financial reporting, taxes, compensation, and business planning. It’s also a good time to consider how changes in your business affect your broader financial picture.
9 Areas to Review Before Year-End
1. Ownership and succession
If ownership will transition to family, employees, or partners, confirm your succession plan still fits your goals.
2. Executive compensation and equity
Review vesting dates, options, RSUs, and other awards. Knowing what’s ahead over 12–24 months helps with taxes, liquidity, and concentration risk.
3. Deferred compensation and executive benefits
Check upcoming elections and distribution dates against your broader financial plan.
4. Tax and cash-flow planning
Review expected income, estimated taxes, charitable giving, and any major transactions before year-end.
5. Estate and wealth-transfer planning
A shift in business value, ownership, or family circumstances is a good trigger to revisit your estate plan and beneficiary designations.
6. Personal liquidity needs
Anticipating a major cash need next year? Revisit your liquidity strategy and portfolio now.
7. Changes in business value
Did your company’s value shift significantly this year? That can affect succession, estate planning, insurance, and your overall wealth strategy.
8. Potential liquidity events
Considering a sale, merger, acquisition, or recapitalization? Early planning creates flexibility, even if timing is uncertain.
9. Look ahead 12–24 months
The key question: what could happen in your business next year that would materially change your personal finances? A sale, leadership change, retirement, or new compensation opportunity all warrant planning ahead of time.
Think Beyond Year-End
Year-end planning isn’t just a checklist—it’s a chance to connect today’s decisions with where you want your business, wealth, and family to go. If you anticipate a major business or compensation change, loop in your wealth advisor early so your tax, legal, and financial strategies stay aligned.
Corporate Solutions works alongside your wealth advisory team to help navigate complex business-owner and executive planning needs.