Structure questions
Whether to buy in your own name, through a new company or through a holding structure.
Structure planning
Plan the entity behind your acquisition
Work out whether you need a new company or holding structure before you buy, and what to prepare. Registration is done by a qualified provider you appoint.
- Planning, not registration
- Local professionals do the filing
- Buyer questions
- Personal or company purchase
- Holding or operating company
- Special purpose vehicle (SPV)
- Seller questions
- Clear share and asset ownership
- What the buyer is acquiring
- Licences held in the right name
Company formation rules vary by country and activity. SellAnyBiz helps you plan and prepare. It does not register companies or give legal or tax advice. Setup is done by a qualified provider you appoint.
Purpose
Why structure comes before closing
Many buyers ask the same question late: who will actually own the business? The answer affects banking, funding, contracts, licences and tax, so it is worth settling before an offer becomes binding.
SellAnyBiz helps you frame the question, gather the details your advisers will need, and keep ownership and company documents with the deal. The advice and the registration itself come from a lawyer, accountant or formation provider qualified in the country where the company will be set up, agreed directly with them.
Company rules differ by country and activity. Choose the country and structure with qualified local advice.
What this covers
What this page helps you plan
Planning and organising work. The legal setup is done by your own provider.
Acquisition vehicle
What a new company or SPV would be used for, and what your lender, the seller or your adviser may expect of it.
Ownership details
Shareholder, director and beneficial owner information collected once, ready for your provider.
Holding structure
Questions to settle with your adviser when shares or assets will be held through a separate company.
Formation documents
Incorporation, registration and licence documents kept together, so they can be shared in the deal when needed.
Banking and funding readiness
The company details banks and lenders usually ask for, gathered before you approach them.
After the purchase
What changes when the business moves to the new owner: contracts, licences, bank accounts and records.
Deal record keeping
Company files stored with the deal, so advisers and the other side work from the same documents.
Who it helps
Who plans an entity
Anyone who must decide who will own the business before the deal closes.
Buyers
Decide how to hold the acquisition and prepare what your adviser needs.
Founders
Organise ownership and company details before raising funds or buying a business.
Advisers
Work from consistent ownership information when supporting an acquisition or a funding discussion.
What changes
- Ownership questions raised early
- Details ready for your provider
- Company documents in one place
- Fewer surprises at closing
- A cleaner record of the deal
Preparation checklist
What to have ready
Gather these before you speak to a formation provider or lawyer.
- Who will own the business, and in what shares
- Names, IDs and addresses of directors and shareholders
- The country where the company will be set up, and why
- Planned activity and any licence it needs
- How the purchase will be paid for
- Draft or existing company documents, if any
- Any bank, lender or seller requirements for the buyer entity
- The lawyer or accountant who will advise you
Not sure about structure? Ask the team what to prepare, or read how buying a business works.
Step by step
From the question to a working entity
Your adviser decides the structure. This keeps the preparation tidy.
Decide if you need a company
Discuss with your adviser whether to buy personally or through a company or SPV.
Choose the country with an adviser
Pick the country and structure on qualified local advice. Rules differ by country and activity.
Prepare the details
Gather ownership, director and activity details so setup moves quickly.
Your provider sets it up
A formation provider, lawyer or accountant registers the company. You agree their scope and fees directly.
Use it in the deal
Use the new entity for banking, offers and closing, and keep its documents with the deal.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is company formation?
It is the process of setting up a legal entity to operate, hold or acquire a business.
Do I need a new company to buy a business?
Not always. It depends on the buyer, the country, how the deal is structured and what lenders or sellers require. Ask a qualified adviser.
Does SellAnyBiz set up the company?
No. SellAnyBiz helps you plan and gather the details. A lawyer, accountant or formation provider qualified in the relevant country registers the company, and you agree their scope and fees directly.
Which countries can I form a company in?
SellAnyBiz does not set up companies in any country. The right country depends on where the business operates, how it is owned and the advice you receive. Ask a qualified local adviser.
When should I think about structure?
Before an offer or letter of intent becomes binding, so banking, funding and contracts can name the right buyer.
Get started
Planning an acquisition and unsure how to hold it?
Tell us what you plan to buy. We will help you list the structure questions to take to a qualified adviser.