I have previously discussed tax opportunities for selling the business by a C corporation. I would like now to switch our focus to options available to S corporations.
One of the options for an S corporation to sell its business is to sell its underlying assets. This is often a preferred option by a potential buyer as it provides a step up in acquired assets. Unlike a C corporation, the S corporation is a pass-through entity and its federal taxable income is only taxed at a shareholder level. Thus, double taxation is usually avoided with some limited exceptions. (more…)