First Citizens Wealth, the wealth management division of First Citizens Bank, today published new results from its "Beyond Wealth" study that offer fresh insights about affluent business owners. Key findings include:

• A bare majority (52%) of affluent business owners say they know exactly how much their business is worth. And a large share of those (44%) aren't confident in that assessment.
  
  
• Less than half of affluent business owners (47%) say they have a plan for exiting their business, while only a third (33%) feel very prepared to exit.
  
  
• One in five (20%) affluent business owners plan to leave their business in the next five years, with one third (37%) planning to retain ownership for at least another decade.

The "Beyond Wealth" study surveyed affluent individuals across the United States with more than $500,000 in investable assets, including a subgroup of affluent business owners.¹

"This latest installment of our Beyond Wealth study delivers compelling insights into how affluent business owners perceive business valuation and exit planning," said Michael Wilson, executive vice president and lead executive for First Citizens Wealth.

"Our findings show that these business owners clearly recognize the value of professional guidance when it comes to exiting their business. But many of these same business owners seem to be missing out on benefits of professional advice earlier on in their business ownership journey," Wilson added.

Business valuation

Nearly all affluent business owners (87%) have some idea of how much their business is worth, the study found, but only half (52%) believe they know exactly what their business is worth.

Only three in five (62%) affluent business owners have performed a formal valuation of their business, which has most often been done with a professional advisor (76%).

Still, only half of affluent business owners who know their business' worth feel very confident in the value assessment.

"Knowing the value of your business today is important because the opportunity to exit could arise unexpectedly and at any time," said Nerre Shuriah, senior director of wealth planning at First Citizens Bank.

"You could end up exiting your business on your timeline. On the other hand, a big life change or a surprise offer could have you exiting sooner than you anticipated," she continued. "Either way, having confidence in what your business is worth makes a huge difference in streamlining the exit process."

Business succession

Only about half (47%) of affluent business owners have a plan for exiting their business and only one third (33%) feel well prepared to do so.

The most likely exit strategies among survey respondents are selling or giving the business to a family member (31%) or selling to another business owner (19%). One in seven (15%) say they don't know how they will exit their business.

About half (50%) indicate their family members are interested in taking over the business after they retire, though only two in five (43%) have brought their family into the business.

"We know that it can be difficult to zoom out from the day-to-day of running a business to develop an exit plan, especially if you're unsure of how or when the exit will happen," Shuriah said.

"Working with a professional business advisor can help you take a step back and evaluate your business from an outside perspective, so that you have a full understanding of your business to develop an informed exit plan that meets your end goals," she continued.

"And if those goals involve passing down your business to family members, a professional advisor can empower you to have those notoriously difficult money conversations with the next generation," Shuriah added.

Advisor Services

Affluent business owners recognize the importance of professional advisory services. They are significantly more likely to have a professional financial advisor (85%) in comparison to affluent Americans who are not business owners (68%). They are also significantly more likely to have created a financial plan (88%) in comparison to their non-business owner counterparts (60%), especially with a financial advisor.

"It seems contradictory that affluent business owners are more likely to have professional financial advisors and plans, yet most still are not very prepared to exit their business," said Wilson. "These findings highlight an opportunity for business owners to be proactive in preparing for the inevitable succession of their business, regardless of when it might happen."

For more insights from the Beyond Wealth study by First Citizens Wealth, download the report.

First Citizens Wealth empowers clients with a comprehensive set of services and solutions to help meet their unique and evolving needs. The team's holistic approach, goals-based strategy and personalized service help ensure clients can make smart decisions at every stage of their financial journey.