Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Section 79 Planning Opportunities

By Lawrence L. Bell, Theodore J. Zouzounis and Stephen M. (Pete) Peterson
September 26, 2008

Closely held businesses produce over 50% of the Gross National Product (“GNP”). Less than 50% of these businesses have a continuation plan and almost one-third of these companies (29%) use a buy-sell arrangement to assist in their planning. (See, Estate Planning Uses of Buy-Sell Agreements Funded with Life Insurance, Sabene Hitchcock-Gear, J.D., ALI-ABA, Oct. 28, 1999.) Buy-Sell agreements are very simple tools that over the years have grown to meet increasing needs of closely held businesses.

Buy-Sell Agreements try to address many of the following problems:

  • Death Buyout;
  • Disability Funding;
  • Withdrawal from Employment (for competitive or noncompetitive purposes);
  • Retirement Planning;
  • Tax Issues ' income, transfer, estate and gift;
  • Protection from Creditors (corporate and individual);
  • Fixing the Value of the Business Interest of the Owner; and
  • Settle Shareholder Differences.

These goals are disparate, and many of the tools currently available do not address all goals successfully. Generally speaking, a buy-sell agreement contains a restriction on the right to transfer a business interest during the life and at the death of the business owners, as well as an option, or other right, to acquire property at a specified price. The agreement typically sets the value of a closely held business for transfer tax purposes in the form of a fixed amount or a formula. Such a value may reflect the fair market value of the property at the time of the agreement (rather than a later date such as the date of the owner's death). The buy-sell agreement is often funded by life insurance policies.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment Image

On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.

Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office Image

A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.

Bit Parts Image

Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes Image

“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.