CONSULTING SERVICES

Examples of ongoing or past projects:

Facilitate an offsite strategic retreat where as a team we create or revisit the mission statement, determine the company’s value, discuss SWAT (strengths, weaknesses, advantages and threats) analysis, review existing status of financial results, set achievable goals and timeline, set up a monitoring process for accountability and follow up on execution.

Succession planning for business ownership and management
We work with family businesses to make sure a succession plan is in place for both the ownership and the ongoing management of the company. Often these two roles become separated as a business transitions to the next generation or in some instances to non-family members. Our goal is to identify successors and establish plan well in advance of the transition so there is adequate training or recruitment of leadership if necessary. With our tax knowledge combined with our unique knowledge of our clients we are logical coordinators of this process. We have assisted numerous companies with successful transactions over the years.

Admitting a partner/shareholder into a company
We assist with the process of adding a partner or shareholder by helping determine fair value for the transaction including the terms and deal structure. Our process includes facilitating a meeting between all interested parties to the transaction and make sure everyone is in agreement with company strategy and management. We also facilitate deal structure and language by working closely with attorneys.

Mergers & Acquisitions
We assist clients on both the buy side and the sell side of transactions.
On the buy side, we help by coordinating deal terms, strategy and structure, working with attorney’s on deal language, performing financial due diligence, capital formation, debt financing and post deal integration matters including implementing accounting systems, internal controls and organization structure.

On the sell side we assist by positioning a company to be sold starting with making certain that the financial records are in order and presentable to a potential buyer. We assist with deal terms, valuation, strategy and structure, work with attorneys on deal language, cooperate with the buyer on due diligence matters.

Estate Planning
Estate planning is a major element of our business. We engage most of our clients with some form of estate planning; some as basic as making sure everyone has a at least a last will and testament and others with complex trust structures. Annual gifting and lifetime gifting are always considered in our planning process. Our goal is to help assist our clients with a plan and structure that preserves assets and passes them on to heirs in a tax efficient manner.
Selecting the appropriate executor or trustee is a major consideration for good structure and execution. Too often individuals are appointed to these positions that are not qualified and in many cases not interested in what it takes to fulfill the role.

Fiduciary Services
Too often individuals are appointed to the role of executor and/or trustee that are not qualified and in many cases not interested in what it takes to properly fulfill the role. As such we offer these services. One benefit in selecting us as a trustee is we tend to better understand the family dynamics, family businesses and the wishes of the grantor more than institutional trustees.