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BMO Business Succession Planning

Ensure a smooth transition for your business with our comprehensive succession planning services. Our experts will help you create a well-rounded transition plan, tailored to your business and personal goals.

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Safeguard your business legacy with clarity

Creating inter-related wealth planning opportunities and strategies across your business and family can be challenging, especially in changing times. Let us guide you through your options and opportunities, ensuring both you and your business are best positioned for success.

  • Tailored

    Personalized strategies to suit your business and financial goals.

  • Experienced

    Expert professionals to lead you through the entire process.

  • Reliable

    Solutions you can trust to secure your business continuity and legacy.

How we help with business transition

It can be overwhelming to think about what you want out of your business when you retire or are ready to transition your business, but we can help you figure out what you want to achieve, and the key decisions you’ll need to make. 

When you’re ready, your BMO Private Wealth professional will introduce you to the Business Owner Advisory & Succession Planning team who will take the time to understand your business, will work with advisors both inside and outside of BMO, and support you through this personalized process including:

  • Education on the sale or succession planning process
  • Valuation considerations and insights
  • Family and business governance matters
  • Asset protection strategies
  • Business transition planning
  • Pre-sale strategies and structuring
  • Risk management and business continuity strategies
  • Family dynamics
  • Integrated tax planning
  • Wealth transition planning conversations

Start the conversation

Answer a few questions about your wealth planning needs, and one of our BMO Private Wealth professionals will reach out.

Common challenges in business succession planning

  • Inadequate planning in advance: Lacking a comprehensive 2-5 year plan exposes both your family and business to unforeseen circumstances.
  • Miscalculating company value: Inability to assess how a potential purchaser would assess the value of the business enterprise.
  • Transition management oversight: Lack of focus on the management transition aspect of succession and business continuity resulting in decreased valuations and reduced exit options.
  • Communication gaps between stakeholders: Lack of adequate communication amongst family and stakeholders can lead to differing views and disrupt family harmony and business unity.
  • Lack of shareholder agreement as a tool of succession planning: Overlooking the significant benefits of life insurance as a succession tool applicable in both family transition and third-party sale scenarios (e.g. key person insurance).
  • Trying to do it alone: Failing to engage the right experts can complicate the process and undermine successful outcomes.

Why BMO

Our Business Owner Advisory & Succession Planning team is made up of seasoned business advisors and experts in business succession, dedicated to helping business owner clients and their families realize their long-term goals. 

Our team of professionals includes: Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA), Chartered Business Valuators (CBV), Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA), Family Enterprise Advisors (FEA), Mergers and Acquisition professionals (M&A).

We collaborate with your advisors both inside and outside of BMO, including: tax, estate, trust, strategic insurance and financial planners to create a multi-disciplinary team.

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Commonly asked questions

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