· SUCCESSION PLANNING · WEALTH TRANSFER · BUSINESS TRANSITION
A Clear Plan for What Happens When You Step Away
Most business owners don't have a clear answer until circumstances force one. Archer Lewis builds succession plans that give you control over the timing, the structure, and who gets what.
Our Approach
Succession planning works best when it starts early.
Business owners who transition well, meaning they sell at the right value, transfer to the right people, and minimize the tax cost of doing it, almost always started planning three to five years before the transition happened. This lead time is what allows you to structure gifting programs, build the management team a buyer or successor will need, and design the transaction to minimize taxes before the structure is locked in. Archer Lewis works with business owners and families on succession planning as an ongoing engagement, rather than a one-time conversation under pressure.
What's Included
Succession and transfer planning from strategy through execution
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Succession Strategy Development
Where do you want to end up, and what does the path look like? We build the roadmap before any structure is put in place.
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Family Succession Planning
Transferring a business to the next generation, equitably, tax-efficiently, and in a way that preserves family relationships.
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Management Buyout Planning
Structuring a transition to key employees: financing, valuation, tax structure, and timeline planned together.
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Buy-Sell Agreement Review
Existing buy-sell agreements reviewed to confirm they reflect current business value and support your succession goals.
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Gifting & Transfer Strategies
Annual gifting programs, family limited partnerships, and other transfer structures that move business interests tax-efficiently over time.
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Business Valuation for Succession
Establishing current business value as the foundation for any succession structure, so every decision is built on accurate information.
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Tax Planning for the Transfer
The tax implications of a business transfer are significant and highly structure-dependent. We plan the transaction to minimize what you pay.
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Contingency Planning
What if health, death, or disability forces the issue before you're ready? We build contingency structures so the plan holds regardless of circumstances.
The strongest succession plans are built well before they're needed.
Business owners who wait until they're ready to leave often face lower valuations, higher taxes, and fewer options for who takes over. Those who plan ahead keep more of what they've built and maintain control over the outcome. Archer Lewis helps you build toward the transition you want.
Start Your Succession Plan
Common Questions
What business owners ask about succession planning.
Three to five years before you want to transition, sometimes longer for complex businesses or family situations. The earlier you start, the more options you have for structure, tax planning, and developing the people who will take over. Most owners start too late and leave significant value on the table as a result.
That's one of the most common and sensitive succession challenges. Balancing fairness to family members with operational control for the ones running the business requires careful planning, both financial and interpersonal. We help structure transitions that are equitable without creating conflict that undermines the business.
It depends on your goals, your family situation, and who's taking over. Gifting programs over time, family limited partnerships, installment sales, and grantor retained annuity trusts all produce different outcomes. We model the tax implications of each path so you make the decision with full information.
