For many, owning a business is the American dream come true, and making management decisions that grow your business brings about well-deserved feelings of accomplishment. Playing devil’s advocate here—did you decide to use any of your cash flow to fund your retirement investments?

 

According to CNBC, 78% of small-business owners plan to sell their businesses to fund anywhere from 60%—100% of their retirement. The biggest challenge for small-business owners is learning to divert their income from supporting their business to funding their retirement.

 

If you want to invest now and withdraw later:

Choose the right retirement plan and stick to it. Options for investing include programs like a SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, Roth IRA, and a 401(k). If you stick to your contributions, it is more likely that funds will be available to you on retirement day. Start by investing a bit of your income in hiring a professional to manage your plan, so you aren’t bogged down with the complexities.

 

Opt for diversification and auto deposits. When it comes to retirement savings for business owners, opt for multiple opportunities. If you choose to launch SEP or SIMPLE IRAs for you and your team, don’t be afraid to start your own personal traditional or Roth IRA. Doing so diversifies your portfolio. Additionally, set up a plan that makes auto deposits to avoid the temptation to skip investing and put your money back into the business.

 

If you choose to use the money from the sale:

Get an accurate estimate of your business value. Your business value is determined by reviewing tangible assets, employees, future cash flow potential, and the value of comparable businesses that have recently sold—much like when you prepare to sell your home. Take your estimate and compare it to the dollar amount you believe you need to retire comfortably. Doing this will reveal if selling can fully fund your retirement or if you need a contingency plan.

 

Plan now for your future sale. You need a plan today that identifies your ideal buyers and outlines any changes necessary that’ll make your business attractive to them in the future. Changes should include equipment upgrades, staff changes, financial improvements, and identifying business growth opportunities—all of which will make your business more appealing to the right buyer.

 

Banking on the sale of your business to fund your retirement shouldn’t be your only plan as a small-business owner. There’s no crystal ball to display the future profits from the sale, but our team of financial professionals can show you how to invest now to attempt to increase available funds in retirement and benefit your future planning. Chances are you have questions, and we’re ready to help.

 

Adapted from Business News Daily¹

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1 https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15140-retirement-savings-strategies-entrepreneurs.html

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