Selling a business after years of work can be very profitable. Many businesses are created with the hopes that they will one day be acquired by a larger firm. The process of selling your business can be complex, however. Federal and California laws over mergers, acquisitions, negotiations and securities exchanges may be important in the transaction.

How Do I Sell a Business?

Obviously, the initial step in selling a business is to either receive an offer or solicit one. In Ione, purchase agents do more than simply find buyers. They also lend advice about which offers are worthwhile to consider. The purchaser might want financial records to be updated in accordance with California and Federal law. This might be required by law in some cases, and besides, it always helps in determining the correct value for the rights you are selling. Finally, an agreement will be reached in the form of a written contract. All parties should review the contract to ensure that it reflects a complete understanding of what the parties have agreed.

What Will I Give Up in the Business?

The sale of a business is simply the transfer of a right known as "control". The party with control of a business directs its operations and may use the business property as it sees fit. The buyer of a business in Ione may be interested only in control of the business, and other rights within the company may not be as important. Buyers are typically looking for the cheapest route to control, and this may allow the seller to retain other rights such as the right to future earnings. These particularities make negotiations essential, during which each party should use the opportunity to voice their intentions and concerns.

How Can an Attorney Help?

California law places certain requirements on parties selling a business. Making the sale run properly and smoothly is much easier with the advice of a local Lawyer practicing in Ione.