West Palm Beach Business Brokers - Sell Business in Palm Beach, FL

Most business brokers in Florida, including KMF Business Advisors, work on a success-fee basis — meaning no upfront fees. Our commission is earned at closing and is calculated as a percentage of the total transaction price. The standard range in Florida is 8–12% for smaller businesses, with percentage rates declining on larger transactions. We discuss our fee structure transparently in your first consultation.

Yes. Florida law requires that an attorney prepare or review the Purchase and Sale Agreement in most business transactions. Your broker handles the brokerage side of the transaction — marketing, buyer qualification, negotiation, and deal management — while your attorney reviews the legal documents, handles escrow coordination, and ensures all Florida-specific requirements are met. We work regularly with experienced M&A attorneys in the West Palm Beach area and can provide referrals if needed.

Confidentiality is protected through a staged disclosure process. Your business is initially marketed with a blind profile — a document that describes the business type, financials, and opportunity without revealing your name, address, or any identifying details. Only buyers who sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and pass our financial screening receive the Confidential Information Memorandum with full details. Your employees, customers, and suppliers should not learn about the sale until you choose to disclose it — typically just before or after closing.

Seller financing means you, the seller, agree to finance a portion of the purchase price — typically 10–30% — for the buyer, who repays it over time with interest. Offering seller financing often expands your buyer pool (since fewer buyers need 100% bank financing), can speed up the sale, and sometimes commands a higher total price. It also means you carry some risk if the buyer defaults. We walk through the pros, cons, and structure of seller financing with every client based on their specific situation

The core financial documents required include: three years of business tax returns (federal), three years of profit and loss statements, recent balance sheets, a current accounts receivable/payable aging report, your lease agreement and any amendments, key customer or supplier contracts, equipment lists, and any licenses or permits relevant to your business. The more organized and clean your financial documentation, the smoother and faster your due diligence period will be.

In an asset sale, the buyer purchases specific assets of the business — equipment, customer lists, inventory, goodwill, trade name — but not the legal entity itself. In a stock sale, the buyer acquires the entire company including all assets, liabilities, and legal history. Most small business transactions in West Palm Beach are structured as asset sales, which is generally preferred by buyers for liability protection. Stock sales are more common in larger transactions or where licenses, contracts, or permits are non-transferable. Each structure carries different tax implications — consult your CPA and attorney before agreeing to either.

Many qualified buyers finance business acquisitions using SBA 7(a) loans, which allow them to purchase a business with as little as 10% down for transactions up to $5 million. SBA-eligible transactions must meet certain requirements — primarily that the business has sufficient cash flow to service the loan. As a seller, having an SBA-eligible business significantly expands your buyer pool. We work with buyers through the SBA pre-qualification process and can connect both parties with SBA-preferred lenders in the Palm Beach County area.

Most business sales include a seller transition period — typically 30 to 90 days during which you remain available (either employed or as a consultant) to help the buyer learn the business operations, meet key customers, and get established. The length and compensation for the transition period is negotiated as part of the deal. In some cases, sellers agree to a longer earnout arrangement where additional compensation is tied to the business hitting post-closing performance targets. We negotiate transition terms that balance the buyer's need for continuity with your desire for a clean exit.

Florida has no state income tax, which means business sale proceeds are subject only to federal capital gains tax. The rate depends on how the transaction is structured (asset sale vs. stock sale), how long you have owned the business, and how the purchase price is allocated among different asset classes. Long-term capital gains rates currently range from 0% to 20% federally depending on your income level, though ordinary income rates apply to certain allocations like non-compete agreements and inventory. We strongly recommend consulting a CPA or tax advisor with M&A experience before signing any purchase agreement — the tax structure of your deal can significantly affect your net proceeds.