How a plumbing contractor planned his exit on his own terms
A growing company, three kids who did not want the business, and a key employee ready to buy. We built the plan that let everyone get what they wanted.
The problem
Our client (we'll call him Mike) grew a plumbing company from a single truck to a team of 18. His three kids had other careers. His lead foreman had been with him 12 years and wanted to buy the business.
Mike needed a plan that paid him fairly, was tax-aware, transferred ownership cleanly, and did not blow up his retirement or estate.
What we did
We built a staged buyout structured over four years, combining installment payments from the buyer with a seller-financed note and insurance-backed completion if Mike died mid-transition. On the estate side, we built a trust designed to receive the buyout proceeds and pass them to his children.
The result
Mike exited the business on his planned timeline with predictable payments, the foreman took ownership without a bank loan he could not qualify for, and Mike's family has a clear path to inherit the remaining note if he dies before it pays out.
What this plan included
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