Hire before the terms harden
A sale adviser should join while important business decisions remain open. Provide the expected sale timeline, current ownership, and the status of discussions. Tell the candidate whether you have a broker, investment banker, or attorney already involved.
Ask what the firm can review at the current stage and what additional information it needs. Do not ask a provider to guarantee a result from an informal description of a deal. A useful first assignment may be a clearly scoped review of alternatives and information gaps.
Separate transaction and annual work
Preparing the business return is different from advising on a sale. Ask which professionals handle transaction analysis, seller information requests, and coordination with counsel. Confirm whether personal owner consequences are included and whether each owner needs a separate engagement.
Some projects involve financial diligence, valuations, or historical record cleanup. Determine which work the tax adviser performs and which it refers to others. A firm with broad capabilities may still use separate teams and fees for these assignments.
- Ask how the adviser coordinates with transaction counsel.
- Identify dates for review of proposed terms.
- Confirm who updates analysis when terms change.
Test responsiveness under change
Transactions evolve quickly. Ask how revised offers, purchase agreements, and allocation discussions reach the adviser. A monthly advisory meeting may not be a sufficient workflow for a closing project. Agree on the escalation route before the deal becomes urgent.
The adviser should explain what assumptions drive its analysis and which conclusions remain provisional. Keep a versioned record of deal terms so your team does not compare projections based on different drafts.
Plan for closing and afterward
Ask what work continues after closing, who retains records, and how transaction documents reach the return preparer. Post-closing adjustments or deferred amounts may require further attention. The engagement should identify how those follow-up matters are handled.
Choose a provider whose proposal follows your transaction from information gathering through filing coordination. An attractive pre-sale presentation is incomplete if no one owns the post-closing handoff.
- Next step: send shortlisted firms a transaction calendar and request a phased scope.