CREATING A 6, 12, 24, 36 MONTH EXIT PLAN - WHAT SHOULD BE DONE AT WHICH STAGE AND BY WHOM
This presentation outlines a phased roadmap for business owners and executives preparing for a future exit—whether through sale, merger, recapitalization, or succession. It emphasizes the importance of early planning, operational readiness, financial transparency, and tax efficiency. Each milestone (6, 12, 24, and 36 months out) is aligned with specific actions and deliverables, supported by expert services from Citrin Cooperman.
Learning Objectives:
1) Understand the strategic importance of long-term exit planning, and how a phased 6-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month timeline can maximize business value and transaction readiness.
2) Identify key operational, financial, and tax milestones that should be addressed at each stage of the exit timeline.
3) Recognize the role of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) in building scalable, investor-ready finance and accounting infrastructure.
4) Explain how Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) support deal preparation, including Quality of Earnings (QoE) analysis, buyer readiness, and due diligence.
5) Evaluate the impact of M&A tax planning on deal structure, seller proceeds, and post-transaction outcomes.
6) Apply a framework for aligning internal teams and external advisors to ensure a smooth and value-maximizing exit process.
About the Presenters:
Hear from industry experts Marilyn Garcia, Nichol Chiarella, and Izett S. Barnett.
Thank you to our Sponsors
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Event Details
Who Should Attend?
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Attorneys
You have close relationships with clients, and can benefit from being the first advisor to introduce the idea of exit planning.
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CPAs/Accountants
Owners participating in the State of Owner Readiness research continue to indicate that you are the No. 1 "Most Trusted Advisor." You are a natural fit to lead the exit planning team and deepen your relationship (and retention) of next generation owners.
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Wealth Managers
You’re a skilled relationship person. Being entangled into your clients’ professional lives matters as you build a strategy to manage their wealth upon them harvesting it from their business. Exit planning allows you to build a deeper relationship with your client, expands your COI network, while giving you an early seat at table well before the liquidity event.
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Financial Advisors
One of the critical ‘legs of the stool’ is personal financing planning. An owner must have a strong financial plan & contingency plan post-transition to enable them to thrive in the next act of the lives personally and financially. Exit planning brings this future mindset into the present. Exit is now.
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Valuation Analysts
Valuation is both a billable engagement AND an opportunity to provide owners some perspective on how to accelerate value drivers (and deal with value killers). Use exit planning to make that valuation into a longer term value acceleration engagement.
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Investment Bankers
Only 2 of every 10 businesses that come to market actually sell. Learn how exit planning can bring attractive AND ready business to your purview.
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Estate Planners
Exit planning is a natural fit for estate planners who want to operate more holistically with their owner clients.
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Strategic Consultants
One of the most critical roles in exit planning is building transferable value. Strategic consultants have the ability to expand options and drive rapid business value that affect performance today.
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Insurance Professionals
Exit planning addresses the 5 D's. So do you. Approach the risk conversation differently with exit planning.
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Mergers & Acquisition Advisors
Proper exit planning causes less deals to fall through at the last minute. Connect with CEPAs to build your healthy deal flow network.
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Commercial Lenders
One of the best relationships a business owner makes is with their banker. How can you help your corporate clients think about the future and ensure financial continuity? Answer: exit planning.
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Family Business Advisors
More than 50% of lower middle market business owners would prefer to transition to the next generation. Help them succeed with exit planning strategies.
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Other Professional Advisors
Regardless of your unique specialty, there is seat at the exit planning table for you. Learn more at www.EarnCEPA.com.
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Private Business Owners
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Members of Family Business Boards
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Professional Advisors
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Business Consultants
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Other Business Professionals
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Business Owners
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Business Owners & Their Trusted Advisors
EXIT PLANNING IS GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Exit Planning Institute, provides Financial Advisors, Accountants, Consultants, and other advisors of business owners with the critical education to differentiate themselves and add value to their existing client relationships through a credential, conference, courses, and content. Download the CEPA brochure for more information.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Nichol Chiarella, Partner-M&A Tax Practice Leader
Nichol Chiarella is the Tax Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Leader at Citrin Cooperman with nearly two decades of public accounting experience. She provides tax planning and consulting for buy-side, sell-side, and restructuring transactions involving private equity firms, closely-held businesses, and high-net-worth individuals across a range of industries, including technology, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and cannabis. Nichol also co-leads the firm’s Cannabis Advisory Services group and serves as Citrin Cooperman’s global leader for gender equality, diversity, and inclusion through CC EDGE. She advises clients on entity structuring, acquisitions, and sales, supporting businesses from inception to exit, while leveraging her specialized tax expertise and professional network to benefit clients and colleagues alike.
Marilyn Garcia, Partner-Transaction Advisory Services
Marilyn Garcia is a Partner in Citrin Cooperman’s Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) Practice, specializing in buy-side and sell-side due diligence for private equity groups and middle-market companies. With experience across public and private sectors, she has advised on more than 200 transactions valued between $5 million and $300 million, including cross-border deals in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her expertise includes quality of earnings analysis, key performance indicators, working capital assessments, and identifying deal risks. Before joining Citrin Cooperman in 2014, Marilyn spent six years in the TAS and audit practices of a Top 20 national accounting firm.
Izett S. Barnett, Partner-Business Process Outsourcing Practice
Izett Barnett is a Partner in Citrin Cooperman’s Business Process Outsourcing Practice, bringing over 30 years of experience helping clients optimize financial operations, streamline processes, and drive growth across professional services, technology, transportation, and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining Citrin Cooperman, he served as Executive Vice President at Signature Analytics, overseeing a large portion of the client portfolio and acting as a consulting CFO, and held senior leadership roles at Alelo Inc., including CFO, where he managed finance, HR, and IT functions and implemented strategic initiatives such as an R&D tax credit program.