Designing a buy and sell agreement can be a challenge to not only the advisor but also the owners of companies! 

Factors to consider when selecting the type of Buy and Sell Agreement for your business.(I) 

Before you can design a buy and sell (BS) you need to consider the following:  

1. Number of owners: the greater the number, the more likely the BS will be a stock-redemption. 
2. Nature and size of the entity: As a rule, a larger company will call for a redemption BS, or hybrid do to the fact that ownership interests will probably be worth more.   
3. Value of the entity: The higher the value, greater chance of a redemption BS. 
4. Relative ownership interests: Because of larger interest in ownership, greater likely hood a redemption or hybrid because of the cost to purchase. 
5. Ages of owners: If there is a wide disparity in age between owners, greater chance of using a stock redemption or hybrid BS agreement?  
6. Financial conditions of the owners: The more questionable an owner’s finances are the more likely a redemption/hybrid. 
7. Enforcement of buy-sell agreement:  If there is a question as to the likelihood of partners reneging on the BS, or unable to fulfill the purchase obligation, the more likely a redemption/hybrid. 
8. Desires for new cost basis for the purchasing owner: Chances are a cross purchase arrangement would be used if surviving purchasing partner wanted a higher cost basis.  
9. Health and insurability of the owners: When there are younger or unhealthy partners, the disparity in premiums will tend to adversely affect the other owners, consequently, redemption will be used.  
10. Commitment of owners to business: Cross purchase or hybrid can be used so the more committed partner can purchase the non-interested partner directly.  
11. Availability of assets inside of the entity for redeeming the interest: Since some businesses have minimum-asset performance-bonding, a cross purchase BS would be used. General Contractors would be an example.  
12. State law with respect to entity redemptions: If lightly capitalized, use cross purchase.  
13. Existence of restrictions under loan agreements on the use of the entity’s assets to redeem equity interests: Loan agreements may have restrictions on the use of assets as they are the collateral for the loans, usually would use cross purchase. 
14. Family relationships within the business:  Maintaining equal ownership between family members can be a challenge, normally, a cross purchase agreement works the best, unless the business is capitalized to have different classes of stock. 
15. Professional licensing or other qualification requirements: Licensing and professional designations with, (professional corporations) will have an impact on the type of redemption agreement.   
16. Type of entity: If a family C corps, there would be concerns that a redemption would be treated like a dividend, if so, they would opt for a cross purchase, if that was an issue (attribution).  

 As you can see, depending on the situation and circumstances of the company, the type of Buy and Sell agreement is not a random decision. Planning and insight must be used.  This comes down to asking the right in-depth questions when discussing the designing of the buy and sell agreement.

(1) Paul Hoods great book:  Buy-Sell Agreements

If you would like to receive a free report on the 19 questions you need to ask yourself to have an efficient Buy and Sell Agreement, email me at:  tperrone@necgginc.com, request: 19 questions.  I will send this to you immediately,