Make your advice conversation count.

Give each professional a clear role.

Your transaction solicitor explains the agreement and your legal obligations. Your accountant or tax specialist assesses tax treatment, claims and reporting. A regulated financial adviser can advise on personal pensions and investments in the context of your objectives. The actual scope depends on the people you appoint.

Ask who will keep the assumptions aligned. A financial plan based on the full headline price can become misleading if part of that price is conditional or belongs to other shareholders.

Bring a short, useful brief.

• Your sale stage and expected or actual completion date.
• Your personal proceeds, with completion and later payments separated.
• Your accountant’s tax estimate and known commitments.
• A household spending estimate and existing income, pensions and investments.
• The three decisions you most want help with.

Questions worth asking an adviser.

• What experience do you have with people before and after a business sale?
• Is your advice independent or restricted, and which areas does it cover?
• What would the initial work deliver, and how would you coordinate with my other advisers?
• What are the total initial and ongoing costs, in pounds as well as percentages?
• Who would look after me, and what happens at an ongoing review?

Check the firm’s identity and relevant permissions through the FCA’s official checking services. Use verified contact details. Read MoneyHelper’s guide to financial advice for more on the different services.