Company Buy-Sell Agreements – Plan Ahead

• Should the agreement apply only to the current owners or should it be binding on all owners throughout the life of the business entity?
• Should the agreement supersede all other agreements to redeem a business interest?
• Is the agreement reviewed annually? (Changes in price or terms should require a unanimous vote of the owners.)

• Should the agreement be structured as aredemption or cross-purchase agreement?
• Should the agreement be structuredto require the seller to sell and the buyer to buy? To give the buyer an option to require the seller to sell? To give the seller an option to require the buyer to buy? To give a right of first refusal to the buyer? As a combination of any of these options above?
• Should the death of an owner cause an automatic buyout of the owners interest? Or should his or her family be allowed to remain as an owner?

• Should the buyout price from the estate or heirs of a deceased owner be addressed? What about the buyout price to a disabled owner? An owner who resigns or is dismissed? An owner who goes bankrupt? If yes, when should it be paid? What interest rate should the obligation bear?
• Should there be a difference in price if there’s an amiable parting of ways?
• Should the price reflect the fact that you’re selling to a long time business associate rather than an outsider?

• Should the agreement provide that a buyout be funded by life insurance or some other investment vehicle?
• If funded with life insurance,should the type of life insurance used be addressed (for example, term life, ordinary life, last-to-die, paid-up life, universal life or an endowment policy?) Should a life insurance trust be used?
• Should all of the life insurance policy proceeds be used to redeem the interest? Can part of the proceeds be used to help the entity recover from the loss of the owner?
• Should whole life insurance policies with cash values be transferred to the owner at termination or retirement?

• Should the agreement be guaranteed or secured?
• If so, should the security be in the form of a pledge of business assets? A personal guarantee by the other owners? An agreement obligating the entity to refrain from increasing salaries, paying dividends or making loans until all outstanding liabilities to the beneficiaries are paid?

• Should you address the disposition of owners’ loans, whether receivables or payables, in the event of death or disability?
• Should you address the disposition of owners’ loans in the event of termination other than death or disability?

Covenant Not to Compete and Other Considerations

• Should there be a covenant not to compete? If so, should there be geographic and time limitations?
• Should there be a period of disability before the other owners have the right to buy out a disabled owner?
• Should owners have the right to transfer or assign to a trust, for estate-tax planning purposes, their rights and interests in the business?
• Should the spouses of the owners sign the buy-sell agreement?