Small business owner planning — universal basics, done well.
Any owner, any industry. The four risks are the same; the coverage sizing is what changes.
Common Scenarios
What usually happens — vs what we structure.
Sole owner dies — no written succession plan
Without planning
Family inherits an unsellable business. Employees quit. Clients leave. Asset depreciates to near-zero in 90 days.
With Lifespan Partners
Written succession plan + funded life insurance + identified successor. Business continues or is sold at fair value.
Co-owner disability — partnership stalemate
Without planning
Working partner carries 100% of load while paying 50% of distributions. Resentment and dissolution follow.
With Lifespan Partners
Disability buy-out insurance triggers after a defined period. Working partner buys out disabled partner with proceeds.
Owner retirement — company 401(k) was never set up
Without planning
Owner tries to live on the sale proceeds only. Tax hit on exit is brutal.
With Lifespan Partners
Mix of qualified plan (SEP/Solo 401(k)) + non-qualified deferred comp + IUL for tax-free supplementation.
Illustrative Impact
Business value, 5 years out.
Indexed to 100 at year 1. Hand-set illustrative scenarios — not a projection.
Illustrative example — not a guarantee or projection. Individual business outcomes depend on industry conditions, carrier underwriting, state availability, and many other factors. Insurance and annuity guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing carrier.
What We See In Practice
Operator-level insights.
Every small business owner needs the same four conversations: buy-sell, key-person, overhead, retirement. The sizes differ — the categories don't.
Coordinate with your CPA and attorney before any funded buy-sell; entity structure (S-corp vs LLC vs C-corp) changes what works.
Review every 2–3 years or after any material business event (new partner, location, debt).
Where Our Carriers Come In
Carriers most relevant for this vertical.
Lincoln Financial
Mutual of Omaha
Nationwide
Corebridge Financial
Carrier selection depends on your state, underwriting, and the specific product. Not an endorsement.
Book a 15-minute small business owner planning strategy call
You've seen the playbook for your industry. A 15-minute call confirms which pieces (buy-sell, key person, 162 bonus) apply to your entity structure — no obligation.