Interactive Diagnostic Tool

The Owner's Gap Check

One page, about ten minutes, no expensive valuation required. Work through the arithmetic to calculate your transferable enterprise value versus the liquid capital needed to sustain your lifestyle post-sale.

Diagnostic Calculator

Calculate Your Estimated Valuation Gap

Enter your current operating metrics below to evaluate transferability.

Annual Gross Business Revenue ($)

Total Owner Annual Compensation & Perks ($) Includes W-2 salary, owner distributions, personal auto/health perks paid through company.

Anticipated Exit / Transition Horizon

Operational Dependence on You as Owner

Why the Valuation Gap Happens

Owners often value their company based on the current cash flow it generates for their household. Buyers, however, value it strictly on what it produces without the owner, after deducting the cost of hiring an executive replacement and stripping out discretionary perks.

When most of a household's net worth sits in an illiquid operating company, both your retirement plan and emergency fund depend on a single, concentrated outcome. Our advisors help you build wealth outside the business well before you intend to exit.

How much of my net worth should be tied up in my business?

There is no single fixed percentage, but concentration is the primary risk to measure. When 80%+ of your family balance sheet is locked in an illiquid operating company that also pays your salary, any market shock or illness threatens both current income and future retirement. Diversification is essential.

When should I start planning my business exit?

Most owners benefit tremendously from beginning three to five years before an intended transaction. That multi-year runway allows sufficient time to clean up financial records, install leadership to reduce owner dependence, and optimize pre-sale corporate tax structures.

Does exit planning require an expensive formal appraisal?

No. Preliminary planning does not require a costly formal certified appraisal. Working estimates, market multiples, and scenario stress-tests are more than sufficient to establish your strategic baseline.

Annual Portfolio & Tax Audit

The Year-End Financial Drift Check

"Nothing announces itself when a plan drifts. Find what has moved while you can still fix it deliberately."

Decide in September, not in a fearful December. Check off the items below to evaluate your annual plan alignment:

5-Point Year-End Audit

0 of 5 Audited (0%)

1. Plan vs. Reality (Spending Audit)

Audited actual trailing 12-month lifestyle expenditures against your baseline retirement model to capture quiet lifestyle creep.
2. Automated Allocation Drift

Examined whether equity bull market runs have unintentionally skewed your risk profile beyond your planned target asset allocation.
3. Overlooked Paperwork & Beneficiaries

Confirmed primary and contingent beneficiary designations on all 401(k)s, IRAs, and life policies; verified Transfer on Death (TOD) registrations.
4. Expiring Calendar Deadlines (Strict Dec 31 Cutoffs)

Captured annual Roth conversion windows, maximized employer 401(k) matching limits, FSA balances, and appreciated stock charitable gifting.
5. Emotional Worry Triage

Objectively separated financial media headlines from the quantitative variables (tax rates, savings rate, time horizon) that truly impact your household.

Schedule a Year-End Drift Review With An Advisor

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Secure Client Access Portals

Active clients enjoy 24/7 single-sign-on access to institutional financial planning models and real-time custodial portfolio balances.

Financial Modeling

eMoney Planning Portal

Interactive cash-flow simulations, live net worth aggregation, goal tracking, and secure document vault.

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Custodial Accounts

Affinity Custodial Portal

Direct custodian access powered by Orion. Review daily balances, transaction histories, monthly statements, and Form 1099s.

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Educational Library

Affinity Insights & Thought Leadership

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Social Security

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A quantitative analysis of claiming at age 62 vs. Full Retirement Age (FRA) vs. age 70 to maximize lifetime survivor benefits.

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A Practical Guide to Business Succession Planning

Structural roadmaps covering buy-sell agreements, key-person insurance, family generational transfers, and third-party sales.

Clarity before decisions, built for real life.