What’s Your Purpose in Retirement?
Retirement can be an exciting milestone. It’s also a major lifestyle change. Oftentimes, your daily workday tasks (professionally or if you run your own business) will likely no longer exist. Transitioning into retirement for some is an easy process. Perhaps their profession is not their absolute passion, and they always had other pursuits and hobbies they are ready to explore once exiting from their day job. But for others, their profession or business is their passion. They put all their…
A Methodical Way to Increase the Value of Your Business – As Part of An Exit Plan
Let’s face it, when you reach the point of your career as a business owner and becomes time to start planning your exit, you will ultimately want to exit your business by either selling it to company insiders, family, or to a third party, for the highest possible price, in the most tax efficient manner, and on your terms.
When is the Right Time to Get a Valuation of Your Business in Planning Your Exit?
As I have mentioned many times before when writing articles on business exit planning, doing a proper exit plan takes time and usually requires a methodical process. Over the years, I have developed an exit planning process that was manifested out of the knowledge of a comprehensive financial planning process, and what I have learned over many years of being a member of the Business Enterprise Institute.
A Key Employee Incentive Plan is Vital for a Successful Business Sale
There are many critical areas that need to be addressed by the owner of a business when preparing their company for a successful sale to a third party. What defines a successful exit? Being able to exit their business for their desired amount or higher, being able to exit on their terms, and do so in the most tax-efficient manner.
The Business Owner Will Exit Their Business, One Way or Another
When discussing business exit planning, there are some interesting statistics: 100% of business owners will leave their businesses, whether planned or otherwise; 79% pf business owners plan to exit their businesses in the next 10 years or less; 80% of owners believe that a successful exit will result from planning and action items they implement. But here is the catch – only 17% of owners have created a written plan… and often it takes 3 to 5 years to develop one.
Utilizing a NING Trust as Part of a Business Exit Strategy
The commonly stated goals of exit planning for a business owner is to exit their business on their terms, for the highest possible value (Or their desired value), in the most tax efficient manner. It takes time to implement the process to accommodate those objectives. When a business owner rushes to sell their business, many things can be overlooked including how to set up the exiting transaction in a way that minimizes taxation.
Preparing for an Unexpected Fatal Illness
Alright, I could think of many other topics to discuss with you that are more positive than this one, but this subject is an important one. We all may face a serious illness at one point or another in our life, and certainly our life will end eventually.
Handling Sudden Wealth: A Guide to Protecting, Managing and Utilizing Sudden Wealth
If you are a person that has just had the experience of a “sudden wealth” event, congratulations and be careful. The experience of sudden wealth, whether it is a sizable inheritance, a legal settlement, a business-related windfall, or a lottery win, is a life changer. It can be a blessing or a curse depending on how well you prepare yourself emotionally and financially. Sudden wealth requires careful consideration and planning.
Family Legacy Development: The Anatomy and Importance of Family Meetings
The expected wealth transfer from the baby boomer generation to the millennial generation is expected to be massive. According to a 2019 article from the “Business Insider”, the Great Wealth Transfer will see an estimated $68 trillion passed down from boomers over the next 30 years.
Begin the Journey of Developing a Family Legacy with a Family Retreat
In my previous article, “Preserving Family Wealth is a Generational Effort,” I mentioned that “Wealth equals capital, which equals potential (Wealth = Capital = Potential).” In other words, a healthier way to view family wealth, is to view it as capital that can be applied in a way that maximizes the well-being, purpose, love, productivity, family unity, and the positive impact the family can have on the community and causes that are near and dear to them. These attributes are capitalized on when a Family Legacy focuses on the three forms of family wealth (or capital), which are financial capital, human capital, and intellectual capital.

Steven E. Zeller
Steven Zeller is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, Certified Exit Planner, practicing Wealth Advisor, and serves clients nationwide. He has over 24 years of experience within his profession. READ MORE
What Steve Writes About

I write about the latest thoughts and topics that impact high net worth families, individuals, and business owners. The building and sustainability of family wealth and a business is an exciting journey, and I have a passion to help them along the way to grow and thrive.
The latest book that Steve is reading. He reads, all he can, material relevant to the high net worth family and business owners, so that he may pass it onto his readers.
Connect With Steve