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SBC Business Exit & Retirement EducationFor business owners, before and after the sale

Life after the business

What replaces your paycheck after the sale? Find out where to start in about 2 minutes.

Get your Exit Readiness Score and see where to start with replacing your paycheck after the sale.

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About 2 minutes. Education, not financial advice.

For owners planning around investable assets or business-sale proceeds, received or expected.

A longer horizon
SaleFirst yearsLong view

The math

Selling for $3,000,000 and withdrawing 4% a year is $120,000 a year before taxes; at 3% it is $90,000. The rates are examples, not promises.

This is simple arithmetic on a starting balance, not an income forecast. It does not account for transaction costs, taxes on the sale, fees, inflation or changing investment values.

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The change is real

See where your retirement income could come from

For years, the business made the next paycheck feel familiar.

Then the sale turns years of work into decisions you may not have faced before.

There can be a lot to sort through, especially while everything else is changing.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

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Questions worth naming

Find the income, tax and legacy questions to ask

A few concerns can make it easier to see where to begin.

01

Turning proceeds into income

A balance is not a paycheck. The questions are how much to draw, from where, and when.

02

An early market drop

A downturn while withdrawals are beginning can change how long a portfolio may support spending.

03

Taxes now and later

The tax treatment of a sale is different from the tax treatment of withdrawals in future years.

04

What you leave behind

Beneficiaries, estate documents, and family priorities shape how wealth may be passed on.

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The people behind the work

Put your family and legacy into the plan

It’s about your family, the people who worked beside you, and the legacy you hope to carry forward.

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A clear first step

Get your score, then choose your next step

Start with education that follows your questions, not a one-size-fits-all answer.

  1. 01

    Take the quiz

    A few questions help direct you to education connected to your situation.

  2. 02

    See your starting point

    Review relevant topics and questions to consider at your own pace.

  3. 03

    Book a 15-minute call with a financial advisor

    For eligible visitors, a calendar may appear with results.

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Explore the decisions

Learn how income, taxes and withdrawals work

Start where your mind is today.
01

Paycheck replacement

How a portfolio can support spending after business income ends.

Explore topic
02

Early market risk

Why the order of returns matters when money is being withdrawn.

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03

Taxes around a sale

Separate the sale-year questions from future withdrawal decisions.

Explore topic
04

Longevity

Consider a long retirement and the effect of rising prices.

Explore topic
05

Legacy

Explore estate, trust, beneficiary, and insurance considerations.

Explore topic
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Imagine what comes next

See which questions need a closer look

Begin by seeing which questions matter most to you. You can explore at your own pace.

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Or, if eligible
See whether a 15-minute call is available

The quiz comes first. If eligible, a calendar appears with your results. This link does not go directly to a calendar.

A few useful answers

Know what the quiz and review include

Who is this education for?

It is for owners considering a sale, owners who sold this year, and owners who sold earlier. It may be relevant to households planning around investable assets and/or anticipated or received sale proceeds.

Does the quiz give me financial or tax advice?

No. The quiz points to general educational topics based on your answers. It does not make a recommendation, determine suitability, or replace advice from professionals who know your circumstances.

Why consider tax questions before and after a sale?

Deal structure, allocation, timing, and state rules can affect how sale proceeds are reported. Later, account types and withdrawal timing affect taxes on income taken from savings. Rules change and individual facts matter, so confirm specifics with your tax professional.

Can I go directly to a call calendar?

The quiz comes first. If eligible, a call calendar may appear with your results. A call is optional and is not a substitute for reviewing the education or speaking with your own professionals.

Learn more

The details depend on when and how a sale happens

Explore timing, tax context, and the path that best describes where you are.

Timing, taxes, and the sale

Before a sale is agreed, structure and purchase-price allocation can affect whether amounts are treated as ordinary income or capital gain. Installment payments, seller notes, earn-outs, and state residency can add questions that need early, individualized tax and legal review.

After closing, estimated payments and other current-year items may deserve attention. Timing can matter for some decisions, but there is no universal deadline. Net investment income tax treatment can depend on participation and transaction structure.

Tax on a sale and tax on future withdrawals are distinct conversations. Later choices about taxable, tax-deferred, and Roth accounts can affect annual income and tax treatment. Confirm current rules and your facts with your own CPA, tax attorney, and other qualified professionals.

Choose the journey that fits today
What else can shape the plan?

A long retirement horizon, inflation, market timing during withdrawals, Social Security, account types, required distributions, and diversification can all matter. Beneficiary forms, trusts, insurance, and state-specific rules also shape family and legacy decisions. The education library includes guides and links to official sources. State and city guides are articles that link to relevant government resources, not local offices.

Earlier homepage education in more detail

Three paths, wherever you are. Before a sale, this year, or years later, there are useful questions to explore.

From one engine to many. For years one company paid the bills. After a sale, income has to come from a portfolio, from Social Security, and from decisions made each year. Four forces shape whether that works.

  • Time: Retirement can last three decades or more. Plan for a long life, not an average one.
  • Timing: A market drop in the first years of withdrawals does more damage than the same drop later.
  • Taxes: Taxes on the sale and taxes on future withdrawals are different conversations, with different windows.
  • Transfer: Beneficiary forms, trusts, and insurance decide what reaches the people you care about.

National resources. Ten in-depth guides cover drawdown, longevity, Social Security, taxes, Roth rules, beneficiaries, and legacy. Browse the resources.

Explore tax-mitigation opportunities before and after a sale. Sale-year planning and future withdrawal planning are separate questions. Current-year timing may matter for some decisions, and there is no universal deadline. The education explains the difference without promising outcomes.

State and city guides. Fifty state guides, each paired with one city, link to official state tax agencies, securities regulators, and local government. These are articles, not offices. Browse the directory.

Everything on this site is general education. It is not investment, tax, legal, or insurance advice.

Start with the questions that are on your mind.

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