Journey: Sold this year
Congratulations on reaching the finish line. The months after closing are full of decisions, and some current-year choices may still matter before year end.
The sale may be done, but the tax year is not. Depending on your facts, there may still be decisions this year that affect how the transaction is reported, how income lands across years, and how you pay estimated taxes. There is no single universal deadline; it depends on what you are considering.
It is also normal to feel unmoored. Give yourself room to decide carefully. Proceeds parked in safe, liquid holdings while you plan is a common and reasonable first step.
Cash at close, escrow holdbacks, notes, earn-outs, and equity each behave differently. Get a clear list.
Large gains often call for estimated payments. Ask your CPA what is due and when.
Charitable giving, loss harvesting in other holdings, retirement plan contributions tied to compensation, and installment elections may have year-end timing.
Health coverage, disability and life insurance, and the company retirement plan all need replacements or decisions.
Set a provisional drawdown while you build the longer-term strategy.
How your sale is structured and reported, and how you manage investments afterward, both influence what you pay. These are related but different conversations.
Read the guideFor years the business paid you. After a sale, a pool of money has to do that job. Drawdown planning is the work of deciding how much comes out, from where, and when.
Read the guideTwo retirees can earn the same average return and end with very different results, depending on when the bad years arrive.
Read the guideWhere money sits determines how it is taxed when it comes out. Understanding account types and required distributions helps you plan withdrawals for decades.
Read the guideAnswer seven questions to see your score and related education. Some results include an optional 15-minute call calendar.
