Specialty
Selling a business advisors
Independent advisors on Valora who specialize in selling a business.
We don't have a selling a business specialist listed yet, but the advisors below work with clients nationwide and can tell you if this is something they cover.
James Conole, CFP®
Founder · Root Financial
Works with people who are within about ten years of retirement and want a clear plan for getting there.
Kevin Lum, CFP®
Foundry Financial
Host of Retirement Made Simple, focused on making retirement decisions clear and straightforward.
Eric, CFP®
The PeakFP
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional specializing in retirement income planning.
Even Better Retirement
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Common questions
When should I involve a financial advisor in selling my business?
Ideally one to three years before a sale. Pre-sale planning - entity structure, QSBS eligibility where applicable, estate moves, and cleaning up financials - is far more valuable before a letter of intent than after. Many options genuinely expire at closing.
What should I do with the proceeds after selling my business?
Common priorities: set aside the tax bill first, replace the income the business provided, diversify away from a single-asset concentration, and revisit estate documents with the new balance sheet. Most advisors recommend a deliberate pause before large commitments - the months right after a sale invite expensive mistakes.
How is the sale of a business taxed?
It depends on deal structure: asset sale versus stock sale, installment payments, earnouts, and your entity type all change the answer, often materially. Long-term capital gains treatment is common for stock sales held over a year. This is a question for your CPA and deal attorney early, not after signing.
Do I need a wealth manager if I already have a business broker or M&A advisor?
They do different jobs. A broker or M&A advisor sells the business; a wealth advisor plans what the sale means for your taxes, income, investments, and estate before and after the wire arrives. The two should work from the same timeline.
What is QSBS and could it apply to my sale?
Qualified Small Business Stock (Section 1202) can exclude some or all federal gain on the sale of qualifying C-corp stock, subject to holding-period and other requirements that changed for newly issued stock in 2025. Whether your shares qualify is a fact-specific determination for a tax professional - confirm before you sell, not after.
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