You built the business. Let's build the plan around it.
Let us help you set the board.
For a lot of owners, the business is the biggest thing on the balance sheet. It's also the thing with the least planning around it.
Taxes get handled. Payroll gets handled. The bigger question waits. What does the business need to do for you and your family, now and down the road?
We don't think it should wait. We start with you. What you want life to look like. What you need the business to pay you. Who belongs at the table. Then we build one plan that ties your company and your household together.
Prescription before diagnosis is malpractice. So we listen first.
01 Set the Board
Before any move, we look at the whole board. You, the business, your family and your timeline. We figure out what the company needs to pay you, how much to keep in it and what the next five years should look like. Your personal plan and your company plan should point the same direction.
02 Your 401(k)
Your retirement plan is one of the best benefits you can offer, and one of the easiest to set and forget. We help with plan design, keep an eye on the fund lineup, check what you're paying and teach your employees through our monthly Ask the Austins webinar. Good for your people. Good for you too.
03 Plan the Exit
Sale, family transition or employee ownership. Whichever way it goes, the work starts years before the deal. Austin Boniface is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA). He helps you plan what life looks like after, what the proceeds need to do and how the timing fits everything else.
What We Work On Together
Paying Yourself
Salary, distributions, or a mix. How you take money out of the business affects your taxes, your retirement savings and your cash flow at home. We help you find a mix that fits the plan, not just this year's return.
Tax Planning
Owning a business opens up planning that a W-2 paycheck doesn't. Retirement plan contributions, timing of income, charitable giving. We look for the opportunities and work with your CPA to put them in place.
Investments
A lot of your wealth is already tied to one company. Your portfolio shouldn't double down on that. We build investments around the plan and what the business already gives you, then keep watch as things change.
Insurance and Key People
Who keeps the doors open day to day? If losing one person would stop the business, that's worth planning for. We review your coverage, including key person and buy-sell funding, and coordinate with your attorney on the agreements behind it.
Keeping It Separate
Your business and your household should be connected by the plan, not tangled together. We help you keep the two lines clear, so a bad year at work doesn't become a bad year at home.
Who's at the Table
Every business owner needs good people around them. A CPA, an attorney, a banker, an insurance professional. Some owners have that team in place. Others are still building it.
Either way, we can help. If you have trusted professionals, we work alongside them so everyone plans from the same picture. If there are gaps, we can help you find the right people to fill them.
You shouldn't have to carry messages between your advisors. A good team moves together, and the plan keeps everyone pointed the same direction.
Do I need to be planning an exit to work with you?
No. Some owners come to us at the start, some in the middle and some with a sale on the horizon. Wherever you are, we start with where you want to go.
How early should I start thinking about an exit?
Earlier than you'd think. The choices that shape an exit, like taxes, structure, who takes over and what you need from the proceeds, take years to line up. Five years out is a good time to start the conversation. Ten is even better.
Do you work with my CPA and attorney?
Yes. If you have a team you trust, we work alongside them. If you're still building one, we can help with that too.
We already have a 401(k). Can you take a look?
Yes. We can review how your plan is set up, what's in the lineup and what it costs, then walk you through what we see.
What happens in the first meeting?
We talk. About you, the business, your family and what you want the next chapter to look like. If we're a good fit, we'll talk about next steps. If not, we'll tell you.
Where are you located?
Our office is at 500 Village Center Dr, Ste. 300, North Oaks, MN 55127. We work with business owners across the Twin Cities and beyond.
Let us help you set the board.
Whether you're growing, steady or getting ready to hand over the keys, the first step is a conversation.
Or call us at 651-982-1115.