If the business sold for that number, what might you actually keep?

A buyer’s price is only the beginning. Estimate how debt, tax basis, transaction costs, and a blended tax rate on estimated gain may change the capital available to the owner.

Price is not proceeds

Build an illustrative
proceeds bridge.

Use this for orientation before detailed tax, legal, valuation, and transaction modeling.

Headline sale price$12.0MDebt paid at closing$1.5MEstimated total tax basis$1.0MTransaction costs6%Blended tax rate on estimated gain28%

Expected residence at closingLikely transaction form

Illustrative net proceeds

$6.9M

Headline price$12.0M

Debt− $1.5M

Costs− $720K

Estimated gain before tax$10.3M

Estimated taxes− $2.9M

What your situation changes

Your state residence at closing is still open, so the model leaves state tax inside the blended rate you selected. The likely transaction form is still open; asset, equity, and partial-sale structures can produce different after-tax outcomes.

The next question is not simply what remains. It is whether what remains supports the owner’s life.Test whether this is enough →

Illustrative educational tool only. The arithmetic is internally consistent with the assumptions you enter, but it is not a valuation, tax return calculation, legal opinion, investment recommendation, or guarantee. Asset allocation, tax basis, depreciation recapture, entity type, installment payments, federal surtaxes, state residence and sourcing, transaction adjustments, and other facts may materially change the result. Review the assumptions with the appropriate professionals.

The proceeds bridge

Four lines can change the owner’s outcome.

Headline purchase price.The figure most people discuss first.
Debt and closing obligations.These reduce cash reaching the owner; debt is not treated as a deduction from estimated taxable gain.
Transaction costs.Banking, legal, accounting, advisory, and other selling expenses.
Estimated gain and taxes.Basis helps estimate gain, but actual treatment depends on entity, asset allocation, recapture, structure, federal surtaxes, and state facts.

The missing question

Net proceeds still do not tell you whether the offer is enough.

After estimating proceeds, connect them to existing investments, after-tax spending, family commitments, retained or contingent value, and the margin the owner wants for uncertainty.

Build the complete picture

One number is useful.
A defensible decision is better.

The Owner Journey connects business economics, readiness, family priorities, and the question still unresolved.

Guided · About three minutesStart the Owner Journey →Send a direct inquiry →

If the business sold for that number, what might you actually keep?

Four lines can change the owner’s outcome.

Net proceeds still do not tell you whether the offer is enough.

One number is useful.A defensible decision is better.

One number is useful.
A defensible decision is better.