Navigating Equity Interests in a Family Business

HomeInsights

Navigating Equity Interests in a Family Business. 


In our role as accountants and advisors, we consistently provide guidance to families seeking to establish and maintain fair and equitable business affairs. The journey often begins with businesses adopting simple ownership structures, yet as they progress and expand, intricate challenges emerge, necessitating the delicate management of equity interests, tax considerations, and commercial risk.


The incorporation of additional family members into the ownership framework elevates the importance of achieving a delicate balance in areas such as tax optimisation, risk mitigation, and ensuring equitable treatment. An inherent challenge lies in differentiating between roles in ownership and management.


Ownership encompasses legal and beneficial aspects, entailing the sharing of profits and losses, assuming commercial risk, and contributing to capital. Conversely, management roles involve elements like salaries and bonuses, contingent on factors such as experience and responsibilities.

Maintaining clarity regarding equity positions emerges as a fundamental aspect of effective governance. Introducing periodic equity statements, delineating the inception and conclusion of equity positions, the distribution of profits, and deductions like drawings and taxes, serves to amplify transparency.


Complex ownership structures may find benefit in the establishment of distinct entities for each family member's equity interest. 

Given the intricate nature of these considerations, periodic reassessment of your equity position emerges as a prudent and strategic investment for the upcoming year.


Outgrown your accountant?

Reassessing your equity position is a wise investment for the year ahead.


BOOK A FREE 30-MIN DISCOVERY CALL BOOK A FREE 30-MIN DISCOVERY CALL


Related News

2 Sep

How to Prepare a NFP Self-Review Return

Starting July 1st, 2024, non-profit organisations (NFPs) in Australia with an ABN, but not recognised as charitable, must annually submit a NFP self-review return to the ATO to confirm their tax exemption status. This process involves three main sections:


READ MORE READ MORE
12 Aug

The Power of Systemisation: Why, How, and What Types of Businesses Can Benefit

Systemisation is the backbone of a successful business. It is the process of creating repeatable and efficient workflows that streamline operations, reduce stress, and foster growth. This blog explores why businesses should embrace systemisation, how they can implement it, and what types of businesses stand to benefit the most.


READ MORE READ MORE
16 Jul

Small Business Productivity: Industry & Regional Trends

Building on the findings from Xero Small Business Insights (XSBI) report, Small business productivity: Trends, implications and strategies, this special report presents industry and regional labour productivity data for small businesses.


READ MORE READ MORE