As much as we regret to say it, we are enjoying the final days of Summer.  The Olympics have concluded, schools are coming back into session, preseason football has wrapped up and open enrollment is just around the corner.

I hope you took advantage of the early summer months.  For many of us view summer as our opportunity to take it a little easier, enjoy some often-elusive rest and relaxation, and to spend more time with family and friends.  While these months are helpful for all of this, they are also an ideal time to begin planning ahead but at your own pace.

While no one is suggesting that you should cut an evening with friends short or skip any gatherings, you should keep in mind that the end of summer also brings us close to the end of the third quarter and onto the doorsteps of the Fourth.

By taking a few spare weekend moments to do a little planning, you can position yourself for a more productive, impactful and profitable Fourth Quarter. 

So, with the remaining days of summer, whether sitting poolside or at the kitchen table, consider these suggestions from our team at O’Brien Law:

1. Set Goals to Crush.  Begin to define and memorialize goals for last 16 weeks of the year and then begin to do the same for the year 2025. 
2. Do some corporate housekeeping.  Review your corporate governance documents and begin to make a list of things that are needed to complete or clean-up your company’s governance file.  Perhaps there is a partnership or operating agreement that should have been drafted, minutes that haven’t been prepared, resolutions that were passed without a writing or other corporate documents like NDAs, non-competes and even ownership ledgers that are needed.
   • Keep In Mind that nearly all LLC owners, be required to file a beneficial owner report with FinCEN by the end of the year to avoid penalties and late filing fees.
3. Start thinking about asset protection and your legacy plan.  All business owners should assess how safe are their personal and company assets are from claims and liability?  Similarly, you should evaluate how clearly defined your intentions are for how your assets are to be used, if you were no longer available to control them and even deceased.  Ask yourself whether your affairs are in order should the unexpected occur.  Is it time to begin estate planning?  The time is always right to plan and prepare.  If you have been considering a will, trust or power of attorney, our lawyers can help.
4. Plan to Grow.  Take some time to think about strategies to grow your business and to scale up your operations.  Just one adjustment – whether by addition or subtraction – can significantly change the outcomes for a business.  Take some time to think introspectively and find the solution that will pay dividends.

Planning will bring your future within reach and prepare you for the business, life and legacy that you have been hoping for. 

If you need a lawyer’s assistance after thinking through the issues of fall and winter, feel free to contact our office and we will be glad to set-up time to help.