Expert exit planning for Irish BVs

Selling Your BV for Optimal Tax Extraction

Selling your BV? Don't let unnecessary tax eat the reward.

Dublin-based entrepreneurs trust Ruaidhrí's Business Guidance to structure BV sales that reduce personal tax, protect family wealth, and keep the exit clean. Why leak value when the structure can work harder?

Get Your Exit Tax Analysis See the structure

€92k

Average tax saved on BV sales we facilitate

17 years

Of structured advisory experience

48 hrs

For your initial review brief

Irish business owner reviewing sale documents in a Dublin advisory office with tax planning notes on a desk

Net proceeds

Up, not down.

Structure review

Before heads of terms.

The tax trap most sellers miss

The wrong extraction route can turn a strong sale into a heavy personal tax bill.

Take the proceeds as salary or a blunt dividend and the marginal rate bites quickly. What if the sale itself is only half the story?

Standard exit

Sale proceeds pushed straight into personal extraction, with avoidable tax leakage and weak succession planning.

High marginal tax exposure

Poor timing on profit release

Limited flexibility after completion

Optimised exit

A phased plan using pre-sale restructuring, holding company optimisation, and Box 2 planning to preserve value.

Cleaner tax profile

Better timing and control

More capital retained personally

Pre-sale valuation

We price the company with tax in mind, so the headline number and the net result actually match.

Box 2 optimisation

We align the transaction structure before completion, rather than trying to fix it after the sale is signed.

Holding company shield

Certain assets can be repositioned to reduce pressure on the eventual gain and support better control.

Pension contribution timing

Director pension planning can create immediate relief and strengthen the extraction mix.

Your BV sale timeline

A disciplined plan beats a rushed exit. Every time.

How do you avoid scrambling near completion? You lock the roadmap early, then work it in phases.

Typical programme: 16 to 22 weeks

Phase 1

Discovery & tax audit

Two weeks to map the structure, the profits, and the leakage points.

Phase 2

Pre-sale restructuring

Four to six weeks to prepare the holding structure and extraction pathway.

Phase 3

Market engagement

Eight to twelve weeks to negotiate terms and preserve tax flexibility.

Phase 4

Completion & optimisation

Two weeks to complete the exit and tidy the post-sale position.

Case study

Dublin tech founder saves €55k in exit tax

A SaaS DGA was preparing to sell to a UK buyer. The structure looked fine on paper, but the post-sale extraction route was weak. Sound familiar?

“We thought the sale was the finish line. Ruaidhrí's Business Guidance showed us it was only the start of the tax work.”

We restructured the IP into a separate holding BV and used entrepreneur relief where it genuinely improved the outcome.

Dublin technology founder reviewing exit tax figures beside a laptop and notepad in a modern office

Before

€380k

After

€435k

Common questions

Straight answers for BV sellers

No jargon. No fluff.

Can I sell my BV and remain a director afterwards?

Sometimes, yes. The real question is whether post-sale involvement changes your tax and liability position. We check that before you sign.

What should I do with accumulated profits before sale?

We review salary, dividend, pension and holding routes, then choose the least wasteful mix for your timeline.

How do I avoid double taxation on a BV sale?

That usually comes down to entity design and extraction order. Get the sequence wrong and the same euro can be taxed twice.

Is a trade sale or management buy-out more tax-efficient?

It depends on your shareholding, retained profits, buyer finance and your exit horizon. We compare both before you choose.

Start your exit planning today

Don't leave seven figures on the table.

Our initial tax review is complimentary and confidential. Why wait until the buyer has the upper hand?

Call +353 822 378 939 Email the team

Dublin office

Stillorgan Road, Dublin, D04 E1X8

Direct contact

[email protected]