A Capital Gains Tax Strategy for Business Owners

Facing the Capital Gains Cliff: How Horizon Wealth and Their Team Can Help You Exit Your Business Efficiently and With Confidence 

As a business owner, you've spent years, maybe even decades, building your company from the ground up. Your business isn't just a financial asset—it's your life's work, your legacy. 

But when the time comes to sell, you're suddenly faced with a whirlwind of emotional and financial challenges that can feel overwhelming. From finding the right buyer and negotiating a fair price to ensuring the well-being of your employees and safeguarding your future, the process of exiting can be fraught with uncertainty. 

And one of the biggest concerns for many business owners is losing a significant portion of the sale proceeds to capital gains taxes. The looming "capital gains cliff" can be a major obstacle, one that might make you hesitant to move forward. Fortunately, with the right planning, you can protect more of what you’ve earned—and this is where Horizon Wealth steps in. 

The Emotional and Financial Hurdles of Selling Your Business

When you start considering the sale of your business, it's natural to experience a mix of emotions. After all, your business represents more than just financial success—it embodies your identity, your daily routine, and your purpose. The thought of letting it go can bring up questions like: 

• Who am I without this business? 
• How do I ensure that I get the right price? 
• Will the new owner continue the legacy and take care of my employees? 

Beyond these emotional hurdles, however, there are serious financial concerns. The anxiety over getting the right valuation for your business can weigh heavily on your mind, especially since the value you've built up represents years of hard work. And once the sale is finalized, you're hit with the reality that capital gains taxes could reduce your sale proceeds significantly.

For many business owners, the combination of these emotional and financial worries can feel paralyzing. You may find yourself delaying the sale because you're unsure of how to proceed or fearing that you’ll regret your decision down the line. Without a clear exit strategy, it’s easy to feel lost in the process. 

The Capital Gains Trap: Why the Financial Hit Can Be Bigger Than You Think

As mentioned, one of the biggest financial pitfalls when selling a business is the capital gains tax due to the IRS on the appreciated value of your company. And 

often, that amount is far more than business owners anticipate. For example, Imagine selling your business for $10 million that you purchased twenty years ago for $200,000. At the current federal capital gains tax rate of 20%, the tax due would be $1.96 million, and your net proceeds from the sale would be roughly $8 million. 

Most states also apply a capital gains tax. So, if your business was located in Minnesota, for example, an additional 10.85% would be applied, reducing your net proceeds to approximately $6.9 million. Chances are, you may not have considered how large the impact of capital gains taxes would be. 

But here’s the good news: with proper planning, you can avoid this tax trap. Horizon Wealth understands these challenges and helps business owners like you not only avoid the initial capital gains cliff but also create a strategy that helps optimize your financial outcome. With their knowledge, you can turn what feels like a financial burden into an opportunity for long-term wealth preservation. 

Horizon Wealth’s Deferred Tax Strategy: Keeping More of What You Earned

 At Horizon Wealth, we know how crucial it is to keep more of what you've worked so hard to build. That’s why we offer a Deferred Tax Strategy designed to help you manage the complexities of selling a business while minimizing your tax burden. 

This strategy allows you to defer the immediate capital gains tax, giving you more flexibility and time to reinvest the proceeds from your sale and use those proceeds strategically to grow your wealth. Instead of losing nearly $3 million immediately to taxes, you can keep that money working for you—investing it in new ventures, income-generating assets, or even long-term savings. 

Here’s how it works: rather than paying all of the taxes upfront, you’re able to defer them by reinvesting the proceeds into qualified assets. This not only preserves more of your wealth but also provides you with greater flexibility during sales negotiations. For instance, a buyer may offer a price that doesn’t fully meet your expectations. However, with Horizon Wealth’s strategy in place, you may find a middle ground where both parties win. You get to keep more of your proceeds, while the buyer benefits from more favorable terms. 

How Horizon Wealth Can Help You Move Forward with Confidence

Exiting your business is about more than just managing the financial details—it’s also about preparing for what comes next. After all, your business has been your daily focus and likely your primary source of income. Horizon Wealth can not only help you preserve your wealth, but also invest appropriately so that you can continue to meet the income requirements for yourself and your family. 

Our team takes a holistic approach to the business exit process. We work closely with you to ensure that your financial future is secure and that you feel confident moving forward. Many business owners who have worked with Horizon Wealth have found that with the right planning, the transition can be smoother than expected. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the financial and emotional complexities of the sale, you can walk away knowing that your future is secure—and that your business legacy is intact. 

The Next Step 

Selling your business doesn't have to mean losing a large portion of your hard-earned money to capital gains taxes. Horizon Wealth utilizes a Tax Deferral Strategy which is designed to help business owners like you keep more of what you’ve built, helping ensure that your financial future will be rewarding.

If you're ready to explore your options and make your business exit as smooth and financially sound as possible, we invite you to visit with our team. Let us show you how we can help you protect your wealth, preserve your legacy, and move forward with confidence.