When business owners prepare for the sale of a business, a key part of their advisory team should include a tax, trusts, and estates attorney. Involving an estate planner prior to a letter of intent allows for tax planning options to be utilized that would not otherwise be available to the business owner if they wait until after the deal is inked to get tax advice. This presentation explains the federal transfer tax system and why it is especially relevant for business owners, key estate planning documents, and corporate documents for business owners to implement ahead of a sale, state income tax planning options, and how trusts can help business owners save money upon the sale of their business.