Your Business Built Your Wealth. Now Protect It.

The Challenge

Mark had operated his HVAC company as a sole proprietor for 18 years, paying full self-employment taxes on $280,000 of annual profit. He had no retirement plan, no buy-sell agreement with his business partner, and his personal home and savings were exposed to business liability. He attended an MSFE workshop thinking he 'already had a CPA handling things.'

What They Learned

At the Business Owner Financial Blueprint Workshop, Mark learned about S-Corp elections and reasonable compensation strategies. He attended a follow-up webinar on Solo 401(k) funding and enrolled in the 8-week Business Owner's Financial Mastery Program. He also learned how a properly structured buy-sell agreement funded with life insurance could protect both partners' families.

The Outcome

Mark converted to an S-Corp, saving $18,400 in self-employment taxes in year one. He opened a Solo 401(k) and contributed $61,000, reducing his taxable income dramatically. He and his partner executed a cross-purchase buy-sell agreement. His personal assets are now protected through a properly structured LLC operating agreement.

The Challenge

Sarah owned a thriving dental practice with $450,000 in annual income but was paying over $120,000 in federal and state taxes. She had a basic will but no trust, no asset protection structure, and her retirement savings were entirely in a taxable brokerage account. She had no plan for what would happen to her practice if she became disabled or died.

What They Learned

Sarah attended MSFE's 'Tax Reduction Strategies for Business Owners' workshop and then enrolled in the Estate Planning for Entrepreneurs course. She learned how a defined benefit plan could shelter up to $265,000 per year from taxes, how a revocable living trust could keep her practice out of probate, and how a disability buy-out agreement could protect her partner.

The Outcome

Sarah established a defined benefit plan, reducing her taxable income by $210,000 in year one. She created a comprehensive estate plan including a revocable trust, pour-over will, and healthcare directives. A disability buy-out agreement now protects both her and her partner. Her estate plan and retirement strategy are now fully coordinated.

The Challenge

Robert and Linda had built a $3.2M manufacturing business over 30 years with no succession plan. Their three children had different levels of interest in the business. They were 3 years from their target retirement date, had no buy-sell agreement, and their estate plan was 15 years old — written before the business reached its current value. A sale would trigger significant capital gains taxes.

What They Learned

The couple attended MSFE's 'Succession Planning Workshop: From Business to Legacy' and then enrolled in the Exit Planning course. They learned about installment sales, Qualified Opportunity Zone investments, charitable remainder trusts, and how to structure a sale to minimize capital gains. They also learned how to equalize inheritances between children who want the business and those who don't.

The Outcome

Robert and Linda developed a 3-year exit plan that included an installment sale structure, a charitable remainder trust to defer capital gains, and an updated estate plan that equalized inheritances using life insurance. Their projected tax liability on the sale was reduced from $680,000 to under $180,000 — a savings of $500,000.