Buy-Sell Agreements & Life Insurance Funding: The 2026 Business Succession Planning Guide for Owners

A Signed Buy-Sell Agreement Is Not the Same Thing as a Working Succession Plan.

Most business owners have a buy-sell agreement. Far fewer have one that would actually hold up under real pressure. Outdated valuations, unfunded death triggers, disability provisions that don't match the business reality, and cross-purchase structures that no longer fit the ownership group — these are the gaps that turn a succession event into a family dispute or a forced sale.

Buy-Sell Agreements & Life Insurance Funding is a plain-English 2026 ebook from True North Wealth Management that helps business owners understand how buy-sell agreements are supposed to work, where they most commonly break down, and how life insurance funding, valuation methods, and structure decisions shape the outcome when a triggering event actually occurs.

What You'll Learn

• What a buy-sell agreement is actually supposed to do — and what it can't do on its own
• How life insurance funding works for death-trigger buyouts and why underfunding is so common
• Why disability, retirement, and voluntary-exit triggers each need different funding logic
• The real tradeoffs between cross-purchase and entity-purchase (redemption) structures
• How valuation methods can either reduce conflict or create it at the worst possible moment
• How to identify where your current agreement has drifted out of sync with business reality
• How to build a stronger review process that keeps succession planning current as the business evolves

🎁 FREE Bonus Bundle — Valued at $197

Purchase this ebook today and instantly receive three premium bonus resources at no extra cost:

• Podcast MP4 (Value: $67) — An in-depth audio-visual walkthrough of the most common buy-sell agreement failures, how life insurance funding gaps happen, and what a stronger succession plan looks like in practice
• Explainer Video (Value: $67) — A clear visual breakdown of cross-purchase vs. entity-purchase structures, valuation methods, and how disability and death triggers work in a funded buy-sell plan
• Slide Deck (Value: $63) — A professional reference presentation you can review, share with a business partner, or bring to your attorney, CPA, or financial advisor meeting

Total Bonus Value: $197 — Yours FREE with your purchase.

Who This Is For

This guide is ideal for small business owners with partners or co-owners, entrepreneurs who have an existing buy-sell agreement they haven't reviewed recently, and anyone planning for ownership transition, retirement, or business continuity. It's also a valuable resource for financial advisors, estate attorneys, CPAs, and insurance professionals who work with business owner clients.

Disclosure: This ebook is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not personalized legal, tax, insurance, accounting, or business-valuation advice. Buy-sell planning depends on ownership structure, entity type, valuation method, funding arrangements, insurance design, succession goals, and many other personal facts. Before acting, confirm the details with the professionals appropriate for your situation — including a licensed attorney, CPA, and qualified insurance professional. True North Wealth Management LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor. This material does not constitute an offer to buy or sell any security or insurance product.