BUSINESS EXIT & SUCCESSION PLANNING

We believe every business transition—whether you're retiring, selling, or passing it on—deserves a clear, strategic plan.

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Business Transition Planning

Exiting a business is just as important as starting one—and doing it right protects your legacy, avoids future liability, and provides a smooth transition for your family, partners, or successors.

At Devey Law, we help California business owners navigate the legal and financial complexities of closing, selling, or passing on their business. Whether you're planning for retirement, preparing for incapacity, or integrating your business into your long-term estate plan, we offer strategic legal guidance and the necessary documents to ensure your transition is handled with confidence and care.

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Where business transition meets strategic planning for what’s next.

Where business transition meets strategic planning for what’s next. 

What is Business Exit & Succession Planning?

Business exit and succession planning involves the legal and strategic steps required to transfer, sell, or wind down a business in an orderly, tax-efficient, and legally sound manner. This may include preparing for retirement, drafting buy-sell agreements between owners, negotiating sales to third parties, or filing formal dissolution paperwork.

For many business owners, succession planning is also a key part of their estate planning—ensuring that their business interests are properly addressed in their Revocable Living Trust, Will, or Buy-Sell Agreement. Even when a sale is planned, coordinating business exit strategies with personal estate planning can help minimize tax consequences, protect proceeds, and support long-term financial goals.

When integrated into a comprehensive estate plan, business transition planning helps prevent disputes, provide continuity in the event of incapacity or death, and protect both your business and your family.

At Devey Law, we help clients navigate every type of business transition—whether you're retiring, selling, or passing the business on—so that your exit is aligned with your personal, financial, and legal goals.

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Our Business Exit and Succession Planning Services

Devey Law provides comprehensive legal services to help you plan and execute your business exit, transition, or closure in alignment with your estate plan. Our services include:

  • Business Dissolution & Compliance
    Advising on the legal steps to formally close your business, including preparing and filing dissolution documents with the California Secretary of State, and ensuring final compliance with tax and regulatory obligations.

  • Buy-Sell Agreements
    Drafting and updating buy-sell agreements that govern ownership transfers due to retirement, disability, death, or voluntary exit—often coordinated with your trust or estate plan for seamless integration.

  • Asset or Equity Purchase Agreements
    Structuring and negotiating legally sound agreements for the sale of business assets or ownership shares, whether to third parties, family members, or co-owners.

  • Secured Promissory Notes
    Preparing enforceable promissory notes for deferred payment transactions, often used when ownership transfers within families or among partners as part of a succession plan.

  • Estate & Business Alignment
    Ensuring your business succession plan works in harmony with your estate plan by properly addressing business interests in your trust, will, or powers of attorney.

Whether you're preparing for retirement, planning your legacy, or navigating a sudden transition, Devey Law provides trusted legal guidance to ensure your business exit is legally compliant and aligned with your broader estate planning goals.

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Why Choose Devey Law?

At Devey Law, we understand that for many clients, business succession is personal. We combine trusted business legal services with estate planning insight to ensure your exit plan not only protects your company—but also supports your long-term family and legacy goals.

Schedule a Consultation

Whether you are just starting your business journey or looking for guidance on complex legal matters, Devey Law is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how we can support your business at every stage of its growth.