Who’s on Your Exit Team and What Do They Do?

Selling a business takes more than finding the right buyer. It takes the right advisors working together before the deal ever starts. Most business owners know they’ll need professional help. What’s less clear is who does what, and what happens when those roles aren’t coordinated. 

Here’s a breakdown of the three core players and the one who ties it all together. 

The CFP® - Financial Architect 

Depending on the scope of the engagement, the CFP® may take on one of the broadest views of the transaction. While other specialists focus on their individual domains, the CFP® can help focus on the owner’s full financial picture: what the exit needs to accomplish, and whether the entire plan is pointed in the right direction. 

Before the sale, the CFP® defines what success looks like in financial terms. They review things like the after-tax proceeds needed, what life costs without business income, and what the invested portfolio needs to generate long-term. During the deal, the CFP® translates how different structures (cash vs. installment sale, asset vs. stock sale) affect the owner’s financial life beyond the headline number. At closing and after, the CFP® ensures the investment plan is ready and holds the ongoing relationship. 

• Depending on the engagement, the CFP® may also serve as a connecting point between other advisors, offering a broad view of the owner’s financial life that can help confirm the legal and tax decisions being made in the deal remain aligned with the overall plan.  

The CPA - Tax Strategist 

In a business exit, the accountant’s job goes well beyond filing the return after closing. A proactive CPA shapes the deal structure itself, potentially changing the after-tax outcome significantly.  

The most consequential decision is often asset sale vs. stock sale. Each carries different tax treatment across goodwill, equipment, and other asset categories, and the CPA models both before terms are agreed to. Beyond deal structure, the CPA manages the pre-closing window when powerful planning moves such as installment sale elections, charitable strategies, and trust structures are still on the table. Many require months of lead time. Once a letter of intent is signed, several planning opportunities become limited or unavailable.  

• The CPA who handles annual returns may not have deep experience with exit-specific tax issues. It’s worth asking directly how many business sales they’ve advised on. 

The M&A Attorney - Deal Architect 

The mergers and acquisitions attorney structures, negotiates, and closes the transaction. They live in the world of deals, knowing what’s standard in purchase agreements, where leverage exists, and which provisions create risk that doesn’t show up in the headline number. 

The letter of intent sets the terms. The purchase agreement is where the deal actually lives, and where sellers can give back significant value through broad indemnification clauses or earnout provisions that sound reasonable in conversation and look very different in writing. The M&A attorney also manages due diligence from the seller’s side, organizing what gets disclosed and flagging anything that needs to be addressed before it becomes a problem. 

• The M&A attorney and the business broker are different roles. Both are typically needed, and confusing the two creates gaps. 

The Bottom Line 

Even highly qualified advisors can produce less effective results when communication between professionals is limited. The CFP®, CPA, and M&A attorney should all know the target timeline, expected proceeds, and the owner’s financial objectives before the deal process begins. Major decisions need input from all three, not just the specialist closest to that particular point. 

For business owners thinking about an exit in the next few years, the earlier these conversations start, the more options remain open. Reach out to our office to learn how we work with owners in the years leading up to a sale.