Planning for Liquidity Events Beyond a Full Business Exit

As 2025 draws to a close, many of us start reflecting on what we want to improve in the year ahead. Not surprisingly, two of the most common resolutions are about health and wealth. But what if the key to improving both lies in realizing how deeply connected, they are? At Return on Life ® Wealth Partners, we believe your financial well-being and physical well-being aren’t separate pursuits — they’re part of the same balanced life. The choices you make for your body, your business, and your bank account all influence each other. For example, financial stress doesn’t just affect your wallet — it can impact your sleep, mood, relationships, and even long-term health. Likewise, neglecting your physical or mental health can lead to costly medical issues and lower productivity. more When you invest time in your health — through exercise, rest, or preventive care — you’re also improving your ability to make sound financial decisions. After all, it’s hard to think clearly about your money when you’re running on empty. If you’re looking for ways to strengthen the connection between health and wealth to create greater balance in your life, consider the tips and action steps below. Create healthy habits Successful people don’t achieve balance by accident — they create it intentionally. Start by identifying your core values and non-negotiables, then schedule time for them. The key to forming new habits is to be specific and clear about your goals. Whether you’re saving for the future or working toward fitness goals, success often comes down to consistency and mindset. Consistency counts: Saving money and staying active share a powerful trait: delayed gratification. Small, repeatable actions, like contributing regularly to a savings plan or committing to daily walks, compound into long-term results. Mindset matters: A scarcity mindset can keep you stuck in fear and hesitation, while a growth mindset helps you make progress and adapt when challenges arise. And don’t underestimate the value of rest. Mental clarity can lead to financial decisions that support, rather than undermine, your goals. Focus on the long game Just like training for a marathon, building wealth is about pacing yourself, staying disciplined over time, and monitoring progress toward your desired outcomes. The start of a new year is an ideal time to review your financial “fitness plan” to help ensure your investment, insurance, retirement, tax, and estate planning strategies are aligned with your current lifestyle and future goals. Keep in mind, skipping your financial checkups can be as risky as skipping medical ones, since small issues can compound over time. Lead by example If you’re a business owner, you know firsthand how intertwined your personal health and your company’s success can be. It’s easy to sacrifice sleep, exercise, or family time in pursuit of growth — but those sacrifices can eventually hurt your business. Sustainable success comes from systems, delegation, and boundaries. When leaders prioritize their health, they model balance for their teams. Investing in employee wellness also pays off through higher engagement, lower turnover, and a stronger bottom line. Remember: You can’t lead a healthy business if you’re not a healthy leader. Maintain balance While maintaining balance can be difficult at times, it is by no means impossible. For example, the holiday season can be a joyful but challenging time for waistlines and wallets alike. Consider the following strategies to help you maintain balance and stay on track as the year wraps up: Celebrate with moderation — both financially and personally. Review year-end opportunities for charitable giving, income deferral, and tax strategies as appropriate for your situation. Avoid “holiday hangovers” from overspending, overeating, or overcommitting. Use downtime to reflect on what went well this year — and what you want to improve next year. Get a jumpstart on your goals Seeking to put your best foot forward in the new year? Get started with the following action steps: Automate smart habits. Set up automatic savings and recurring investments. Schedule your checkups. Your financial and physical health both deserve annual attention. Protect your time. Build non-negotiable self-care into your schedule. If you can’t do everything at once, start small. Consistency beats perfection! Ready to plan for the health and wealth outcomes you seek in 2026? Call us at 440.740.0130 or visit ReturnOnLifeWealth.com to talk about strategies tailored to health and wealth goals. And be sure to follow Frank Wealth Insights for more conversations about building balance in every area of life. Investment advisory services are offered through Planned Financial Services, LLC, dba Return on Life Wealth Partners, an SEC-registered investment adviser. The views expressed are for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute specific financial, legal, investment, or tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.

Making Real Estate a Core Pillar of Your Multigenerational Wealth Strategy You may be familiar with the “Great Wealth Transfer” – the estimated $84 trillion in assets that are expected to change hands over the next 20 years. This transfer of wealth is one of the most significant factors affecting today’s high-net-worth households and its impact is expected to increase in the coming decades. 1 The transfer of real estate assets will play a substantial role since 24% percent of this wealth is tied to real property in the form of primary residences, vacation homes, rental properties, and commercial assets. 2 Advantages of building wealth with real estate Real estate investments may offer opportunities to generate income during your lifetime and potentially create a lasting legacy by passing valuable assets to future generations in a tax-advantaged manner. However, it can also involve risks such as property value fluctuations, liquidity constraints, and ongoing management responsibilities. Despite these risks, real estate investments can provide: Equity growth: As mortgages are paid down and property values appreciate over time, owners build equity that can be leveraged or passed on to future generations. Passive income: Depending on market and occupancy conditions, rental properties and commercial real estate may provide ongoing cash flow that can be used to supplement primary income or be reinvested or saved. Inflation hedge: Property values and rental income tend to rise with inflation. As the cost of goods and services goes up, property values and rents generally follow suit, helping to offset the loss of purchasing power. Diversification: Adding real estate to an investment portfolio may help manage  portfolio risk by increasing diversification across asset classes with the goal of enhancing overall returns while reducing volatility Tax advantages: Real estate offers numerous tax benefits through strategies like depreciation and property-related deductions. Additional tax-saving strategies that may be available include: cash-out refinancing, bonus depreciation for rental properties, and 1031 exchanges that allow owners to defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting sale proceeds into another income-producing property. Active vs. passive investing There are many ways to invest in real estate. Depending on how involved you want to be in managing your real estate portfolio, you could choose an active or passive approach – or a combination of the two. Examples of an active approach to investing in real estate include buying a house to use as a short-term vacation rental, owning long-term tenant-occupied properties, or renovating and flipping houses for a profit. Purchasing and managing commercial real estate is another example. An active approach allows investors greater control and influence over lease terms and conditions, as well as the timing of a purchase or sale. Active investors typically collect rental income, build equity as property values appreciate, and reap important tax benefits. The downside of an active approach may include high up-front costs, significant time spent conducting due diligence and managing properties and paperwork, ongoing maintenance expenses, and lack of liquidity, among other considerations. Keep in mind, you may be able to outsource some of these tasks for a fee. Passive real estate investing, on the other hand, requires far less time and effort on the part of investors. Typically, a third party performs all of the work for you, from property selection and due diligence to the timing of the purchase and sale of individual holdings, property management, ongoing bookkeeping, tax reporting, and more. Passive real estate investors may also experience lower upfront costs and increased liquidity. As a passive investor you should expect to split profits with other investors and fund managers and share any tax benefits. Some of the ways to invest in real estate as a passive investor include: Real estate investment trusts (REITs), which allow investors to earn a share of the income produced by a real estate portfolio without having to buy, manage, or finance property themselves. R eal estate fund s that allow investors to purchase shares in a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that invests in REITs. Crowdfunding, where real estate platforms connect investors with real estate developers or project sponsors who are seeking funding for property acquisitions, renovations, or new construction projects. While real estate can be a powerful tool for preserving generational wealth, it can also present challenges. Real estate is relatively illiquid, requires upkeep, and can be difficult to divide equitably among multiple heirs. Market fluctuations, tax implications, and family discord can add further complexity when passing these assets to your heirs or the charitable organizations you support. That makes it important to work closely with qualified legal, tax, and financial professionals to develop a strategy tailored to your needs and objectives that reflects your goals, timeframe, risk tolerance, and need for liquidity. An experienced wealth advisor can help ensure that your real estate strategy is aligned with your overall financial plan and wealth management goals and take the lead in coordinating and implementing the advice you receive from your other advisors. To learn how your team of independent wealth planning professionals at Return on Life ® Wealth Partners can help you and your family pursue the Return on Life ® you desire, contact us today for a free consultation. About Return on Life ® Wealth Partners Return on Life Wealth Partners is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) founded in 1994, with headquarters in Cleveland. The team provides comprehensive wealth planning services to individuals, families, and business owners. By examining clients’ lives before their money, Return on Life ® aligns its advice with clients’ values. This personalized approach also extends to the institutional and corporate retirement plan services available through 401(k) Prosperity ®. 1 Cerulli, Associates, JAN 2022, https://www.cerulli.com/press-releases/cerulli-anticipates-84-trillion-in-wealth-transfers-through-2045. 2 Business Insider, NOV 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-investment-market-mortgage-rates-baby-boomers-down-payment-2023-11. Important information This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice. Return on Life ® Wealth Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the firm. Any strategies discussed may not be suitable for all individuals and are not guarantees of future results. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Tax laws and regulations are subject to change, and strategies outlined may not be suitable for all individuals or entities. You should consult a qualified tax professional regarding your specific tax situation before implementing any tax-related strategy. Real estate investments, including REITs, funds, and crowdfunding, involve risks such as illiquidity, property value fluctuations, management fees, and market or economic conditions. Investors should carefully review offering materials and consult with qualified legal, tax, and financial professionals before making any investment decisions. Investment advisory services are offered through Planned Financial Services, LLC, dba Return on Life ® Wealth Partners, an SEC-registered investment adviser. For additional information and disclosures related to our firm and services, please visit https://www.returnonlifewealth.com/additional-disclosures.

3 Considerations for a Smooth Transition There's a reason family remains at the heart of 32 million U.S. businesses that account for 54% of our gross domestic product (GDP) and 59% of the country's employment. 1 Successful family-owned businesses tend to share certain qualities like deep industry expertise, longstanding customer relationships, and more flexible business structures, providing greater agility and faster responses to change. Many embrace strong family values and share a passion for creating opportunities for economic advancement in the communities where they live and work. These deep community ties help to further enhance customer trust and loyalty, which leads to business longevity. Yet, despite these strengths, succession remains a critical challenge for family businesses. Only 30% of family-owned businesses successfully transition to the next generation, with roughly 12% making it to the 3rd generation, and only about 3% continuing on to the 4th generation. 2 Overcoming the odds Proactive planning is critical for ensuring the smooth transition of ownership and management to the next generation. Planning helps to ensure the right legal documents are in place while addressing any gaps in leadership, family conflicts, liquidity issues, and more. With proper guidance and preparation, family businesses can overcome these and other challenges. To get started, consider the following steps: Prioritize communication Trust and transparency are key to building and maintaining relationships among all stakeholders, which may include key employees or other non-family contributors, or family members who do not actively participate in the business. Consider establishing a Family Council to promote communication around topics including roles and responsibilities, business finances, and future plans for the business. A Family Council provides a forum for family members to discuss and address issues impacting the business and its future while also helping to create a healthy separation between personal family matters and business matters. In many cases, enlisting the help of an independent business exit planning advisor can reduce the potential for family conflict. As an independent third-party, your advisor can communicate complex or contentious matters to family members, educate them on business wealth strategies aligned with your family values, or serve as a mediator if disagreements do arise. Draw up a Family Constitution Another way to help strengthen communication is to create a Family Constitution. The Family Constitution seeks to prevent conflicts that can tear families apart and diminish fortunes by establishing a set of rules around the family's wealth and core values. It creates a governance structure for navigating your family's affairs, resolving conflict, and reducing complexity. You can create this document yourself or enlist one of your professional advisors to help, such as your legal or wealth advisor. While it is not a binding legal agreement, a Family Constitution can help eliminate family discord by increasing clarity and obtaining buy-in from all stakeholders. This is especially important when it comes to making decisions about who will actively lead and participate in the family business, and how business profits are distributed among contributing family members and those with no direct control or involvement in the business, as the business grows in value. An effective Family Constitution should specify: How wealth is to be used by family members Any limitations on spending, investing, or donating family wealth Who is responsible for making investment and wealth distribution decisions How other family members can provide input or impact decision making How family members can work together to perpetuate family values and preserve wealth for future generations Protect everyone's interests with a buy-sell agreement One of the greatest risks family-owned businesses face is the unplanned sale of a stakeholder's share in the business. This is especially disruptive if the business lacks the liquidity to buy out a stakeholder, or if a family member seeks to sell their ownership stake to an outside party, without consensus from other family members. Putting a buy-sell agreement in place can help mitigate these and other risks to family unity and business continuity. A buy-sell agreement is a legally binding document that helps to ensure a friendly and orderly succession of the business by: Setting the terms and conditions for the sale and purchase of shares of the business in the event of death, disability, divorce, disagreement or distress Protecting the family's control of the business' equity by establishing decision-making criteria and processes governing the sale, transfer, and succession of ownership Addressing liquidity options and how transactions will be funded Including an agreed-upon method for valuing shares upon a sale Buy-sell agreements can also help create long-term value for the business and its stakeholders by addressing risks outside of a sale or transfer of ownership. For example, anyone with a vested interest in your company may require you to have a buy-sell agreement in order to do business with your company. Without it, you may not be able to get a loan to fund capital equipment or business expansion goals, or you may lose a client that can't bear the potential risk of a disruption to your business. To find out how a well-drafted buy-sell agreement can help protect the interests of stakeholders while creating a path for the multigenerational longevity of your family business, listen to our latest podcast episode of Frank Wealth Insights. To learn how your team of independent wealth planning professionals at Return on Life® Wealth Partners can help you and your family pursue the Return on Life® you desire, contact us today for a free consultation. About Return on Life® Wealth Partners Return on Life Wealth Partners is an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) founded in 1994, with headquarters in Cleveland. The team provides comprehensive wealth planning services to individuals, families, and business owners. By examining clients' lives before their money, Return on Life® aligns its advice with clients' values. This personalized approach also extends to the institutional and corporate retirement plan services available through 401(k) Prosperity®. 1 Conway Center for Family Business, MAY 2025, https://www.familybusinesscenter.com/resources/family-business-facts/ 2 Family Enterprise USA, 28 NOV 2023, https://familyenterpriseusa.com/feusa/family-businesses-74-thrive-30-years-reveals-research/ Important information This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice. Return on Life® Wealth Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the firm. Any strategies discussed may not be suitable for all individuals and are not guarantees of future results. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Readers should consult their own financial, legal, or tax professionals before acting on any information presented. Investment advisory services offered through Planned Financial Services, LLC, dba Return on Life Wealth Partners, an SEC-Registered Investment Adviser. For additional information related to our services, please visit https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/112879 Copyright © 2025 Planned Financial Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved.