Who We Serve/Sudden Wealth
Business sale · IPO · settlement

A windfall changes your bracket, your risk, and your phone

Business sale, tender offer, legal settlement, or an unexpected liquidity event — the tax planning that matters most happens before the money lands, and the second-most in the twelve months after.

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The money arrives fast. Good decisions don't have to.

A liquidity event compresses a decade of financial decisions into a few months, at the exact moment you're least equipped to make them — and it arrives with an audience. Brokers, insurance agents, charities, and relatives all find out remarkably quickly.

The two things that matter most are timing and patience. Timing, because a great deal of the tax outcome is determined before the wire hits and can't be fixed afterward. Patience, because almost every irreversible mistake in sudden wealth comes from deciding in month one what could have been decided in month nine.

Where It Comes From
The events we plan around
Selling a business — asset sale, stock sale, or an earnout that stretches years.
An IPO, tender offer, or secondary sale of private company stock.
A legal settlement or insurance payout, taxable in part or in whole.
Selling real estate — a rental, land, or a long-held property with enormous gain.
A large inheritance, trust distribution, or family liquidity event.
A signing bonus, deferred comp payout, or lump-sum pension election.
What We Handle
Before the wire, and the year after it
No. 1
The pre-event window
The highest-value planning happens before closing — deal structure, timing across tax years, charitable vehicles funded with pre-sale shares, and elections that stop being available the moment the transaction is signed.
No. 2
Tax on the event itself
Ordinary income versus capital gain, the 3.8% net investment income tax, state treatment, installment sale mechanics, and — for qualifying founders and early employees — whether a QSBS exclusion applies. Handled by an Enrolled Agent working alongside your CPA and attorney.
No. 3
Estimated payments and the April surprise
Windfalls rarely arrive fully withheld. We calculate what's owed, when it's due, and how to stay inside the safe-harbor rules — so the tax is set aside on day one instead of discovered next spring.
No. 4
A decision-free parking place
Proceeds go somewhere safe, liquid, and boring while the plan gets built — with the tax reserve carved out first. You are allowed to do nothing with the rest for months, and you'll never be pressured otherwise here.
No. 5
Concentration and diversification
If the wealth is still in one stock or one property, we build a staged exit — scheduled sales, gain harvesting across tax years, charitable gifting of appreciated shares — that reduces risk without triggering the entire bill at once.
No. 6
The new normal, and saying no
What this money actually supports in perpetuity, what it doesn't, and a defined budget for family requests and generosity — so "let me check with my advisor" becomes a complete and honest sentence.

One fee covers the whole relationship

Every service below is included in the advisory fee. Nothing here is an add-on, and nothing here pays a commission.

No. 01
Tax Planning
Year-round strategy from an Enrolled Agent, built into every decision.
No. 02
Investment Management
Tax-aware portfolios built around your goals and timeline.
No. 03
Estate & Legacy
Beneficiaries, titling, and coordination with your attorney.
No. 04
Retirement Planning
Turning proceeds into income that outlasts you.

Blended advisory fee from 1.50% to 0.75%, no account minimum. See the full fee schedule →

Common Questions
Fair questions, straight answers
My deal hasn't closed yet. Is it too early to talk?
It's the best possible time — and the window most people miss. Charitable structures funded with pre-sale shares, installment terms, entity-level decisions, and splitting proceeds across tax years all have to be in place before signing. After closing, the menu of options is meaningfully shorter.
The money already landed. Did I miss the window?
You missed one window, not all of them. Estimated payments, the reserve, diversification sequencing across tax years, charitable timing, and the entire investment and estate plan are all still fully in play — and those cover most of the value for most people.
How quickly do I need to decide what to do with it?
Set aside the tax reserve immediately. Beyond that, almost nothing needs to happen in the first ninety days. Parking proceeds somewhere safe and liquid while you think costs you very little; a rushed, irreversible decision can cost a great deal.
Do I need a trust, an LLC, or some other structure?
Maybe — that's a legal question, and we don't practice law. What we do is identify when the answer is likely yes, model what the structure would accomplish, and work directly with your attorney so the legal documents and the financial plan actually match. If you don't have an attorney, we'll help you find one.
Can you work with my existing CPA and attorney?
Yes, and we prefer to. Liquidity events are team events. Aaron being an Enrolled Agent means the tax conversation happens in the same room as the planning conversation rather than being relayed between offices.
Everyone is suddenly asking me for money. How do I handle that?
With a number and a policy, decided in advance. When there's a defined annual budget for family help and giving, requests become a calendar question instead of a values referendum — and you have a straightforward answer that doesn't require justifying yourself.
Next Step

Talk before the wire, not after

A free 30-minute call. If your event is still months out, that's the ideal time to have it.

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Golden Acre Wealth Management LLC is an investment adviser registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission (CRD #337930). Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. All fees are negotiable and are described fully in the firm's Form ADV Part 2A, available upon request or at adviserinfo.sec.gov. The tax treatment of a liquidity event depends entirely on deal structure, holding periods, entity type, and individual circumstances; eligibility for provisions such as qualified small business stock is fact-specific and must be confirmed for each situation. Examples on this page are general in nature. Golden Acre Wealth Management does not provide legal services and does not prepare deal documents. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. CFP® and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., awarded to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.