Is There Really a Best Age to Sell Your Business?

Written by Ben Lightfoot, CFP™

Why life stage, preparation, and market conditions often matter more than the number on your birthday cake.

Selling a business is rarely just a financial decision. For most founders, it represents years of work, risk-taking, and personal sacrifice. While many people ask “At what age should I sell?” the answer is rarely defined by a number. It’s often shaped by a mix of personal goals, the strength of the business, and the market environment.

This article looks at how life stage can influence the timing of a sale, why early preparation often helps, and a few cross-border points that internationally connected families may want to keep in mind.

Drivers of Timing

In most sales, a few factors usually have the greatest influence:

• Personal readiness – Are you motivated to keep growing the business, or thinking about slowing down or trying something new?
• Business health – Is the company performing well, with a stable customer base and a team who can run it without you?
• Market environment – Are valuations and industry trends supportive, or might waiting give the business more room to grow?

When these align, many owners find the transition smoother and the outcome more rewarding.

How Life Stage Shapes Motivations

Age often reflects life stage rather than a specific threshold:

• 30s–40s: Some owners choose to exit early after a period of rapid growth, or to free capital for a new venture.
• 50s: This is often when people start thinking more seriously about succession, retirement planning, or diversifying wealth that’s tied up in the business.
• 60s and beyond: Lifestyle preferences, health, or a desire to step back from day-to-day operations often come to the forefront.

Rather than waiting until circumstances force a decision, many owners aim to sell while the business, and their own energy, remain strong.

Why Early Planning Often Pays Off

Preparing a business for sale usually takes time – often years rather than months. Starting early can help you:

• Document key processes so the business is less reliant on you personally.
• Present clear, consistent financials that give buyers confidence.
• Strengthen management, broaden the customer base, and build contractual stability.
• Address potential red flags such as disputes or intellectual-property gaps.

The more prepared the business, the more attractive it can be to potential buyers.

A Practical Checklist

Questions to think about include:

• What do I want life to look like after the sale – full retirement, a mix of part-time board roles, consulting or new ventures, or something else entirely?
• Is too much of my wealth tied up in the business, and would selling help spread that risk?
• Am I still motivated to keep growing the company?
• Does my management team have the capacity to lead without me?
• Are buyers already showing interest, or is my sector seeing more consolidation?

These considerations can help signal whether it’s time to begin a structured exit plan.

Cross-Border Considerations

For internationally mobile families, selling a business can add an extra layer of complexity. US citizens living in the UK, UK nationals in the US, or anyone planning to move countries after a sale often need coordinated legal, tax, and currency planning. A strategy that works in one jurisdiction may be inefficient, or even costly, in another. Early advice from professionals who understand both sides of the Atlantic can be invaluable.

Building the Right Advisory Team

Successful exits are often guided by a coordinated group that may include:

• A corporate-finance or M&A adviser (a specialist who helps value the business, identify buyers and manage negotiations)
• Legal counsel to structure and document the deal
• A tax adviser to model after-tax outcomes and explore available reliefs
• A wealth manager to help align the proceeds with personal financial goals

Bringing advisers in early allows them to shape the process rather than just react once an offer arrives.

A Timeline for Owners in Their 50s and 60s

For many, the decade leading up to retirement becomes the natural window to prepare:

• 2-3 years out: Strengthen management, tidy financials, and resolve potential risks
• 12 months out: Engage advisers and gather the information buyers will need
• 6-9 months out: Approach potential buyers or begin a formal sale process
• Completion: Finalise the transaction, settle obligations, and integrate the proceeds into your long-term plan

Planning ahead in this way can reduce stress and give you more control over the timing.

Final Thoughts

“There is no single “right” age to sell a business. The most successful sales usually happen when personal goals, business readiness, and the market environment come together.

If you are thinking about selling your business within the next few years, or simply want to explore whether now might be the right time, our team at MASECO is happy to help you navigate these decisions with assurance. Starting that conversation early, often two or three years before a potential sale, gives you more flexibility, a stronger negotiating position, and a better chance of turning years of work into lasting financial security.”

The Legal Stuff

• This document is intended for the recipient only.
• The information contained herein is subject to copyright with all rights reserved. The document may not be copied, forwarded or otherwise distributed, in whole or in part, to any other party without our written consent.
• Nothing in this document constitutes investment, tax or any other type of advice and should not be construed as such.
• MASECO is not a tax specialist and we recommend that anyone considering investing seeks their own tax advice.
• The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of MASECO as a whole or any part thereof.
• This document is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice.
• This document does not constitute a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any products or to adopt an investment strategy.

Risk Warnings:

• All investments involve risk and may lose value. The value of your investment can go down depending upon market conditions and you may not get back the original amount invested.
• Your capital is always at risk.
• Fluctuation in currency exchange rates may cause the value of an investment and/or a portfolio to go up or down.
• Alternative strategies involve higher risks than traditional investments, such as speculative investment techniques, which can magnify the potential for investment loss or gain.
• Any impact from the actual or speculative tax changes contained in this document will depend on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.
• Information about potential tax benefits is based on our understanding of current tax law and practice and may be subject to change. The levels and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation is subject to change. The tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each individual and may be subject to change in the future.
• Certain products which may be used within a portfolio in order to give exposure to particular investment strategies may not be regulated in the UK and therefore will not have the benefit of the protections afforded by the UK regulatory regime.

Performance:

• Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
• No assurance or guarantee can be given that any target return will be achieved.
• Illustrations of potential risk or return are illustrative only and do not necessarily reflect possible actual maximum loss or gain.

MASECO LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the conduct of investment business in the UK and is registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisor.

The firm participates in industry award programmes relating to the provision of its investment services and in connection therewith the firm may be required to pay an administration fee for the submission of its application. Where such payments are made, they will be nominal in value and will not be in exchange for any form of guarantee or promise that the firm will receive the award for which it has applied. The firm only participates in award programmes where there is an independent panel of judges.