Buy-Sell Agreements in a Succession Plan

You are in business with one or more business 'partners'. https://jump.africa/ Most likely all of the business owners

are involved in the day to day running of the business. But what happens if you or they die or

retire from the running of the business? Here we set out some of the problems you may encounter unless you have a proper business succession document (often called a Buy/Sell Agreement). We also set out some of the options and issues in putting in place a proper Buy/Sell Agreement. These issues are the same regardless of whether your business is run via a company, unit trust or partnership.


Common Problems

These are some of the common problems business owners can encounter when one of the above events occurs: disputes between the continuing owners and the incoming owner of the business (the incoming owner may acquire his or her interest under the will of the deceased former owner). This often occurs as the new owner does not understand the business or does not have the respect of the other business owners; in a private business the sale of a portion of the business to an outside party is often not possible (i.e. there is limited external liquidity). So really there can only be sales between business owners. However, without an agreement:the incoming owner (under a will) cannot force the other business owners to buy his or her portion of the business; and the remaining business owners cannot force the sale of the deceased business owner's portion of the business; even if all of the owners want a sale to occur there is not sufficient funding to allow this; the owners who still work in the business become disgruntled with having to pay ongoing returns to the new passive owner (i.e. the estate of the deceased owner); and concerns about the continuity and viability of the business, including from employees, customers, bankers, suppliers and creditors who may leave or discontinue support (particularly where the owners are in dispute).


Buy/Sell Agreements

Putting in place a Buy/Sell Agreement can avoid some of the above and provide certainty for

business owners. In simple terms a Buy/Sell Agreement provides a framework under which business owners can sell their interest in the business or buy the interest of a co-owner. For tax purposes (see below) Buy/Sell Agreements usually use options to buy or sell on a defined trigger event (e.g. death of an owner). Usually: the owners not subject to the trigger event have a right but not an obligation to buy the exiting owner's interest in the business (Call Option); the owner subject to the trigger event has a right but not an obligation to make the remaining owners buy his or her interest in the business (Put Option).


As an alternative, a buy back/redemption agreement could be considered. Under such arrangements the trading entity (e.g. company) rather than the other owners buys back the exiting

owner's shares (note there are Corporations Act requirements which apply to share buy-backs).

Another alternative is to have a sale of the whole business on a trigger event occurring. We don't

look at these two options in this paper. We now look at some of the issues you need to

consider and resolve to ensure you meet your needs.


Events

You need to work out the trigger events or conditions which lead to a sale of a business interest. These are often tailored to and limited by funding available for any purchase (see below). There are two broad trigger event categories being: involuntary or insurable trigger events (death, critical illness, and total permanent disability); and voluntary or uninsurable trigger events (retirement, resignation or lawful termination of employment).


Call Options are generally granted on the happening of both involuntary and voluntary trigger events. Put Options are generally granted on the happening of involuntary trigger events. As insurance is not available for involuntary trigger events you may need to consider price reductions or payment over time (vendor finance provisions).


Price

The price at which an exiting owner's interest in the business is to be sold should be fixed under

the Buy/Sell Agreement and reviewed at agreed intervals. Alternatively the parties should agree to an appropriate valuation methodology and/or an expert valuation process. Careful thought should be given to any scenarios that might justify a reduction of the price payable. For example, a reduction might be appropriate in the case of Put Options for voluntary trigger events as mentioned above (say if an owner is forced out for breaching a Shareholders' Agreement or their employment is terminated for fraud). A reduction might also be appropriate in circumstances where an exiting owner fails to maintain an insurance policy as required under the Buy/Sell Agreement or otherwise invalidates an insurance policy.

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