You are starting, growing, buying or selling a business

We compare business structures for owners starting a business or changing how an existing business is organized. • Compare operating as an individual, partnership, limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. • Explain S corporation taxation — an eligible corporation's election to generally pass income through to owners. • Compare C corporation taxation — where the corporation pays its own income tax — with other options. • Review separate companies for operations, property or management, and state filing requirements. • Coordinate formation paperwork and tax elections, with legal documents reviewed by your attorney. You receive the agreed structure comparison, filing checklist and tax election work, with legal questions identified for your attorney.

We assess business value for owners who need a valuation for a sale, ownership transfer, tax matter or financial report. • Agree on the purpose, valuation date and people who will use the work. • Review financial records, ownership rights and business risks. • Compare income, market and asset approaches — value based on earnings, similar businesses or assets less debts. • Assess adjustments for limited control or difficulty selling an ownership interest where relevant. • Address the agreed questions about transfers, accounting or disputes using available evidence. You receive the valuation deliverable defined in your engagement, including its purpose, methods, assumptions and limitations.

We support mergers and acquisitions — purchases, sales or combinations of businesses — for owners reviewing a proposed deal. • Organize financial records and the documents buyers or lenders request. • Perform agreed due diligence — a review of the deal's records, assumptions and risks. • Review earnings and working capital — funds tied up in day-to-day operations. • Compare buying assets with buying ownership shares and explain relevant tax choices. • Review payment terms and plan accounting work after closing alongside your legal advisers. You receive the agreed financial findings, tax comparison and list of deal questions and follow-up actions.

We help owners plan succession — handing over ownership or management — when they expect to sell, retire or transfer the business. • Compare a sale, family transfer, employee purchase or orderly closure. • Review financial records, customer dependence and work that relies on the owner. • Estimate tax effects and cash needs under the options being considered. • Review buy-sell arrangements — agreements covering how owners transfer their interests — with legal advisers. • Set responsibilities and a timeline for preparing the business and its next managers. You receive the agreed transition plan, financial assumptions and action list for your team and legal and tax advisers.

We prepare business plans for owners deciding where to focus time, spending and growth efforts. • Review current results, customers, competitors and business goals. • Compare costs, pricing and changes to day-to-day processes. • Model the financial effects of new products, markets, partnerships or acquisitions. • Choose key performance indicators — measures used to track progress against the plan. • Assign actions, responsibilities and dates for reviewing results. You receive the agreed written plan, financial assumptions and a schedule for reviewing progress.

We prepare funding information for business owners considering outside investors or borrowing. • Compare equity — funding in exchange for ownership — with debt that must be repaid. • Review suitable loan options, including Small Business Administration (SBA) programs where applicable. • Build financial forecasts and explain the assumptions behind the funding request. • Organize the financial records and presentations requested by investors or lenders. • Review term sheets — summaries of proposed funding terms — and coordinate financial questions with legal advisers. You receive the agreed funding package, comparison of financial terms and a list of questions and closing tasks.

We review business risks and insurance costs for owners who need to assess possible losses and questions for their insurance adviser. • Identify financial, operating and reporting risks in the agreed areas. • Review policy costs, stated coverage, exclusions and claims history with your insurance adviser. • Discuss coverage questions for property, liability, employees, cyber incidents and key people. • Review internal controls — checks and approvals used to manage business risks — and supplier review procedures. • Document business continuity steps — how work would continue after a disruption. You receive a written risk summary, agreed follow-up actions and coverage questions to discuss with your licensed insurance adviser.