BUSINESS SERVICES
INTEGRATED BUSINESS PLANNING TO HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR MOST PRECIOUS INVESTMENT.
How do I best integrate my business and personal finances while managing cash flow?
Entrepreneurs and business owners come from all different backgrounds and start their businesses for many reasons. Some of the common reasons our clients have for starting their businesses are:
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The desire to spend more time with their family;
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The feeling of accomplishment and success that comes with building something through your own efforts;
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Money (let's be honest, entrepreneurship has its monetary perks, including unlimited earning potential);
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Wanting to create jobs and strengthen their communities;
But the most important reason to go out on your own is to
DO SOMETHING YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
We help small business owners and entrepreneurs focus on their efforts by helping them navigate the complexities of owning a business. Some of the areas we focus on in your business planning include:
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Entity selection. Should I incorporate? Should I file taxes as a single-member LLC, S Corp, or C Corp? Which is best to reduce my taxes?
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Compensation planning. How do I pay myself from my business? How much should I be paying myself? What other tax and filing obligations am I subject to?
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Cash flow/budgeting. What cash is left after all my expenses and compensation? How can I improve my cash flow?
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Tax strategies. How can I reduce my tax liability? What's deductible and what's not?
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Insurance. What types of protection do I need for my business (and employees)? Do I personally need coverage to cover my business activities?
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Fringe benefits. How do I get the most out of my business? Can my company pay for health insurance? Can I be reimbursed for some of my expenses?
All of these services are included when you choose us for ongoing financial planning and may be included in a one-time comprehensive financial plan. In addition to these services, we also provide planning for small business retirement plans.
SMALL BUSINESS RETIREMENT PLANS
As a business owner, you're largest investment is probably in your business. However, if it's in your succession plan to find a buyer when you're ready to retire, it may take some time to finalize the process and sell. Additionally, it may not be valued as much as you feel it should be, so you should make additional plans for retirement. One of the key ways to plan for retirement is by utilizing a tax-advantaged retirement plan in your business. The most common types of plans are:
401(k) (Solo, Traditional & Roth)
Simplified Employee Pension (SEP)
Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE)
As your small business retirement plan advisor, we can assist you with the many aspects of starting and maintaining your plan.
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Plan design. We will help you design a plan that meet your needs. Plan designs include the type of retirement plan, vesting schedules, matching and/or profit-sharing contributions, Roth options, and more.
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Administration. Your retirement plan may be subject to additional testing or filing requirements. We help match you with an administrator and record-keeper who will ensure you are in compliance.
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Investment management. As a plan sponsor, you take on a fiduciary responsibility to the plan participants (aka your employees) to ensure the available investment options are appropriate to meet their needs and the all-in costs of the plan and investments to the participants is kept in check. It's a big responsibility and a giant risk for most business owners. We can either act as the fiduciary on your behalf or use a provider to take on this responsibility for you. In either case, we will advise you on the investments in the plan and make recommendations as necessary.
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Employee education. Another responsibility as the plan sponsor is to communicate to the participants what they need to know about the plan. We will provide ongoing employee education to help them understand the plan's features, what investment options are available, and the benefits of contributing to the plan.
