What "pre-liquidity" planning means
Pre-liquidity planning is the work you do in the window before a sale, recapitalization, or IPO — while the highest-value tax and estate strategies are still available. Once a deal is under a letter of intent, most of them disappear. Timing, not effort, is what determines how much you keep.
36 months out — foundation
- Clarify your goals and your after-tax "number."
- Confirm your entity structure and evaluate QSBS eligibility (this can start a holding-period clock).
- Assemble your team: fee-only fiduciary advisor, M&A attorney, CPA, and banker.
24 months out — structure & estate
- Gift appreciated equity into trusts while the valuation is still lower.
- Consider grantor trusts and QSBS "stacking" across family members.
- Update the business valuation to support gifting.
12 months out — tax positioning
- Model asset-sale vs. stock-sale outcomes with your CPA.
- Design charitable vehicles (CRT/DAF) to be funded before any LOI.
- Review residency/domicile (Florida's no-income-tax advantage) and insurance/liability coverage.
90 days out — execution readiness
- Finalize charitable funding before the letter of intent (to avoid anticipatory assignment of income).
- Set a cash-reserve plan and a post-sale investment policy.
- Put sudden-wealth guardrails in place.
The day after — concentration to diversification
Once the wire clears, the job shifts to investing the proceeds thoughtfully and tax-efficiently. If you took part of the deal in acquirer stock, our concentrated-stock guide covers the unwind. For the full picture, see our pillar guide on financial planning before selling your business.
Disclosure: Skyview Financial Group, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser (CRD #310581). This content is educational only and is not individualized tax, legal, or investment advice. Figures and rules cited are current as of August 2026 and subject to change; please consult your CPA and, where applicable, legal counsel. Examples are illustrative and do not reflect any specific client.