10 Essential Decisions for Business Owners

10 Essential Decisions for Business Owners

Business owners are busy… they are busy running a successful business, wearing lots of hats and making a ton of decisions. We’ve put together a list of 10 essential decisions for every business owner to consider; from corporate structure to retirement and succession planning:

  • Best structure for your business (ex. Sole Proprietor, Corporation, Partnership)
  • Reduce taxes
  • What to do with surplus cash
  • Build employee loyalty
  • Reduce risk
  • Deal with the unexpected
  • Retire from your business
  • Sell your business
  • Keep your business in the family
  • What to do when you’re retired

Financial advisors are uniquely positioned to help business owners, talk to us about your situation and we can provide the guidance you need.

Benefits of Consolidation

When putting together your financial plan, there is no question about the benefits of consolidation. It’s common to have your finances all over the place. Savings at the bank, investments with several financial institutions, retirement savings at another. The importance of having a financial plan is the ability to coordinate, consolidate and be able to implement your plan to achieve your goals.

By putting it all together, it allows for better planning where there’s less confusion, more control over your finances, efficient investing and tax planning and creates a clear picture of what needs to be done to fulfill your financial goals.

Consolidation means you have an accountability partner on your side that will keep you on track and stay the course and address gaps in your plan and introduce you to specialists if needed.

Financial Planning issues that should be addressed are:

  • Wealth Protection
  • Is your disability insurance adequate? 
  • What about your life insurance in case of premature death? 
  • What do you do in case of a critical illness? 
  • Estate Planning- what’s the primary goal of your estate plan? 
  • Wealth Accumulation
  • Are you looking to preserve or grow your investments? 
  • Is your investment mix suitable for you? 
  • Are your investments tax efficient? 
  • When do you plan to retire? 

These issues are just scraping the surface, talk to us and we can chat further on how we can help.  

The Health Spending Account for Business Owners and Incorporated Professionals

Are you tired of using your hard-earned after-tax dollars to cover medical expenses? As a business owner, the burden of managing healthcare costs can be overwhelming. However, there’s a little-known solution that can alleviate this financial strain – the Health Spending Account.

Designed specifically for entrepreneurs like you, the Health Spending Account offers a tax-efficient way to manage medical expenses. Say goodbye to paying out of pocket with after-tax dollars for your healthcare needs, and let’s explore the advantages of this specialized account tailored to meet the unique needs of business owners and incorporated professionals.

Who’s eligible?

The Health Spending Account is available to a wide range of businesses, making it an inclusive and flexible solution. Small businesses, professional corporations, and corporations that wish to supplement an existing health plan are all eligible to participate in this program. Whether you run a small family-owned enterprise, a professional practice, or a larger corporate entity, the Health Spending Account can cater to your specific needs and provide valuable healthcare benefits for you and your employees.

What are the benefits?

Tax Deductibility for Corporations

As a business owner or incorporated professional, you know the significance of minimizing tax burdens. The Health Spending Account allows your corporation to make contributions that are 100 percent tax-deductible. By taking advantage of this tax benefit, you can reduce your corporation’s taxable income, resulting in lower overall taxes. This leaves you with more funds to reinvest in your business, expand operations, or reward your hardworking employees.

Tax-Free Benefits for You and Your Employees

The Health Spending Account offers tax-free reimbursements for both you, as the business owner or incorporated professional, and your employees. Any medical expense covered through the account is received as tax-free income. This means you get to retain more of your earnings while providing valuable healthcare benefits to your workforce without increasing their taxable income. It’s a win-win situation that fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty.

No monthly premium to pay and cost-efficient

A Health Spending Account (HSA) offers a highly cost-efficient approach to managing medical expenses, providing individuals and businesses with significant financial advantages. One of the key benefits of an HSA is that there is no monthly premium to pay, unlike traditional health insurance plans. This means that participants can access valuable healthcare benefits without the burden of regular premium payments. With no ongoing costs, the HSA allows individuals and businesses to allocate their funds more strategically, ensuring that their healthcare budget is utilized efficiently. This cost-effective feature makes the Health Spending Account an attractive option for those seeking to optimize their healthcare spending while enjoying comprehensive medical coverage.

How it works

The Health Spending Account simplifies the process of managing healthcare expenses:

1. Employees pay for medical services out of pocket.

2. The employee submits the claim for reimbursement.

3. The claim amount is then reimbursed tax-free through the corporation’s account.

4. The claim is reimbursed to the employee.

This streamlined process eliminates the complexities associated with traditional health insurance plans, saving you time and effort.

To learn more about how a health spending account can benefit you, please reach out today to book a meeting, and we would be happy to help.

Financial Planning for Business Owners

Financial planning for business owners is often two-sided: personal financial planning and planning for the business.

Business owners have access to many financial tools that employees do not. Having access to these tools is a great advantage; however, learning about and understanding these tools can be overwhelming. A financial plan can relieve this.

A financial plan looks at where you are today and where you want to go. It determines your short, medium and long-term financial goals and how you can reach them. For you, personally and for your business.

Why do you need a Financial Plan?

  • Worry less about money and gain control.
  • Organize your finances.
  • Prioritize your goals.
  • Focus on the big picture.
  • Save money to reach your goals.

For a business owner, personal and business finances are connected. Therefore, your financial plan should address both.

What does a Financial Plan for a Business include?

There are two main sides your business financial plan should address: Growth and Preservation

Growth:

  • Cash Management – Managing Cash & Debt
  • Tax Planning – Finding tax efficiencies
  • Retaining & Attracting Key Talent

Preservation:

  • Investment – either back into the business or outside of the business
  • Insurance Planning/Risk Management
  • Succession/Exit Planning

What does a Personal Financial Plan include?

There are two main sides your personal financial plan should address: Accumulation and Protection

Accumulation:

  • Cash Management – Savings and Debt
  • Tax Planning
  • Investments

Protection:

  • Insurance Planning
  • Health Insurance
  • Estate Planning

What is the Financial Planning Process?

  • Establish and define the financial planner-client relationship
  • Gather information about the current financial situation and goals, including lifestyle goals
  • Analyze and evaluate the current financial status
  • Develop and present strategies and solutions to achieve goals
  • Implement recommendations
  • Monitor and review recommendations – Adjust if necessary

Next steps

Talk to us about developing your financial plan for you and your business so that you can achieve your financial goals.

Accessing Corporate Earnings

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One of the financial planning issues that business owners face is how to access their corporate earnings in a tax efficient way.

There are 5 standard methods:

  • Salary
  • Dividend
  • Shareholder Loans
  • Transfer Personal Assets
  • Income Splitting

There are also unique ways utilizing life insurance and critical illness insurance to access your retained earnings. Please contact us to learn how we can get more money in your pocket than in the government’s.