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Retiring business owners

If you're now considering retirement you will also be considering what happens to your business when you retire. Whether you are passing on a family owned business, or thinking about selling your business to boost your retirement income, the Library's succession planning resources will help you to choose the best option for you and your business.

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Online articles

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive How to navigate the path to successfully selling your business
  • Article
  • 01 Aug 2023
  • Dane Sanders
Advice on the key aspects of planning and navigating the process of selling a business. The article highlights the importance of early exit planning, including defining objectives, assessing market value, building a strong management team, streamlining operations, diversifying your customer base and crafting a comprehensive exit plan with the assistance of a skilled team.
Exclusive Exit planning for small business
  • Article
  • 01 Jun 2021
  • Jon Augelli
Article on the exit planning process for small businesses owners. Areas discussed include assembling an advisory team, determining financial goals, exit strategies, succession planning and personal considerations for owners and their families.
Exclusive Succession plan brought about intended growth, my own retirement
  • Article
  • 18 Nov 2019
  • Peggy Murphy
Article on how one accountancy firm approached the forthcoming retirement of its shareholders. Describes its succession planning process and how it led to the development and growth of the firm.
Exclusive Retirement needn't mean selling your business
  • Article
  • 26 Feb 2015
  • Thomas Griffiths
Discusses how retirees can attain financial independence without selling their small business.
Exclusive Your guide to a smart retirement
  • Article
  • 01 Sep 2014
Advice for business owners on succession planning including common retirement misconceptions and tips for keeping a business in the family.
Exclusive Rethinking retirement and succession plans
  • Article
  • 04 Feb 2013
  • Andi Gray
Offers the author's insights on retirement and succession plans for business owners.
Exclusive Transfer of power
  • Article
  • 01 Jun 2010
  • Daniel Seivert
Article on succession planning for advisors who are nearing retirement age.

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.
Exclusive Essential business finance: a complete guide to starting, expanding and selling your business
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Paul Barrow
  • Kogan Page
An introduction to finance aimed at the average business manager.
Exclusive How to value and sell your business: the essential guide to preparing, valuing and selling a company for maximum profit
  • eBook
  • 2008
  • Andrew Heslop
  • Kogan Page
A guide to business valuation for owners.
Exclusive Exit right: achieving a golden goodbye by realising the maximum value for your business
  • eBook
  • 2004
  • Barrie Pearson
  • Thorogood
A guide for business owners, group executives, accountants and lawyers involved in selling a company.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

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Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection

The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a collection of articles and books on retirement and succession planning. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Pension magic: how to make the taxman pay for your retirement, 2023/24
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • N.Braun
  • Taxcafe UK
This book 'shows you how to build a big retirement pot by claiming thousands of pounds of extra tax relief on your pension contributions'. Includes sections on pension contribution rules, pension freedom rules, pensions v ISAs, higher-rate taxpayers, auto-enrolment, salary sacrifice pensions, company directors, family pension planning and pension planning for the self-employed and property investors.
Retirement planning expert 2023
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • A.E.Smith
  • Quartertoten
Straightforward, practical and easy to understand information - hundreds of hints and tips to help adapt, thrive and achieve a better lifestyle in retirement.
Rayney's tax planning for family and owner managed companies, 2023/24
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • P.Rayney
  • Bloomsbury Professional
This book examines a wide variety of tax planning matters from the viewpoint of the company, its working and nonworking shareholders and its employees. Includes information on valuing a family or owner-managed company. The book covers all relevant legislative changes up to August 2023.
Tax aspects of succession planning for family company shareholders
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • R.Jamieson
  • LexisNexis
Individuals who own and run family companies always endeavour to achieve the optimum post-tax return on sales of their shares or when passing down their holdings to the next generations. This Tax Digest examines the key taxation issues which need to be considered in these areas.
The family office: a comprehensive guide for advisers, practitioners, and students
  • Library book
  • 2021
  • Edward V.Marshall, W.I.Woodson
  • Columbia University Press
An essential read for anyone looking to understand the world of family offices. Woodson and Marshall provide a comprehensive overview of the various functions family offices can perform and how to set them up effectively.
Selling your trading company
  • Library book
  • 2020
  • A.Lane
  • LexisNexis
A concise Tax Digest covering: the process and planning that may be required to prepare a business undertaken by a company for sale; the tax implications that may arise when preparing a company for sale; and the tax implications of selling a business.
A practical guide to the law of farming partnerships
  • Library book
  • 2020
  • P.Whitcomb
  • Law Brief Publishing
An overview of the main issues, nuances and complexities of a farming partnership, with practical examples.
Beyond the days of giants: solving the crisis of growth and succession in today's CPA firms
  • Library book
  • 2014
  • P.D.Fisher
  • CRC Press
This book gives step-by-step guidance on getting the next generation of accountants engaged and creating a growth culture within accountancy firms. Written from a US perspective.

Find more articles and books

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

Useful links

Planning retirement from your business
  • Article
  • Clive Lewis
Useful tips on exit planning, succession planning, business valuation and managing a successful transfer when you want to retire from your business.
Selling your business and closing down
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
Series of guides from Gov.uk covering topics from closing limited companies to ceasing self-employment.
Selling your business: your responsibilities
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
Advice from Gov.uk on your obligations when selling a company, partnership or sole trader business.
caba: approaching and enjoying retirement
  • Website
  • caba
Tips and advice from the Chartered Accountants' Benevolent Association on preparing for and managing your retirement.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

Pension planning guides

Guides from Atom Content Marketing.
Essential guide to pension planning for business owners
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Pension planning can be a crucial part of ensuring a secure and comfortable retirement. The sooner you invest in a pension the more you will have available to make the most of your retirement.
Essential guide to pensions for senior managers
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
There has never been more choice and flexibility for senior managers when it comes to pension saving. This LawDonut guide looks at how employees can choose from a wide range of investments for their pension fund, contribute more to their own retirement, and exercise greater control over drawing their income.
Essential guide to pensions for your employees
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Major reform has swept through occupational pension provision, affecting every employer in the UK. Every business is now obliged to auto-enrol and contribute to eligible employees' pension schemes. This LawDonut guide provides a basic overview of employers' pension obligations, including the run up to retirement for employees.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

Further ICAEW resources

See the following ICAEW topic pages for a selection of online books, articles, guides and useful links:
Business men talking about shop layout retail
Business acquisition and disposal
Find out more about buying and selling businesses with our selection of guides, links, books and articles.
Woman with calculator
Business valuation
Find out more about valuing a business and use our selection of guides, links, books and articles to identify best practice, techniques and tools.
Smiling senior employee
Practice succession
Successful practice succession can be a real challenge. You may need to fund the retirement of older partners while keeping the practice an attractive proposition for new ones.
Smiling business women working together on contract documents
Succession planning
Learn about exit strategies, how to ensure your successors have the skills they need and getting the timing right with our selection of articles, books, links and guides.

Retirement Community

Free resources to help you manage the transition to retirement and make the most of your options.
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