Emergency plan for entrepreneurs

What happens to your company if you are unavailable? Who makes the decisions? These questions should not be left to chance. Credit Suisse offers advisory services to ensure that your company is adequately covered.

For adequate coverage in an emergency

Accidents, serious illnesses, or other twists of fate can bring successful management and company growth to an abrupt end.

 

Even if the future successor has been chosen, when decision-makers are unavailable the company may lose some or all of its capacity to conduct business. Just as important is the issue of protecting family or other associated persons. An emergency plan is therefore essential for entrepreneurs.

Contingencies for entrepreneurs: What to keep in mind

When it comes to preparing for the worst-case scenario, you must consider the main questions in this context. Here are some examples:

  • Who will represent your personal interests (such as membership and ownership rights) as a partner or shareholder in the event of temporary or permanent incapacity?

  • What about any executive roles of the entrepreneur, such as a position on the Board of Directors? If he or she is unable to serve, does a successor need to be appointed and if so, who?

  • Are there plans in place so that the company can conduct business at all times and continue operations in the event of an unexpected death?

  • Is the succession within the company ensured in case of unforeseen circumstances?

  • Is the company's survival ensured in the event of divorce, or dissolution of the entrepreneur's registered partnership?

  • Is the execution of my existing investment strategy still guaranteed if I become incapacitated?

What does an emergency plan for entrepreneurs entail?

The following factors must be carefully considered for a thorough emergency plan:

  • Examination of the signatory authority recorded in the Commercial Register: Ensuring capacity to act by granting any additional signatory authority if necessary.

  • Ensuring access to liquidity, e.g. by bank powers of attorney.

  • Reviewing any partnership or shareholders' agreements: arrangements for events of incapacity and/or death of a contracting party and comparison with last will.

  • If you lose the capacity to act on your own behalf, you must make sure that your membership and owner's rights as a partner or shareholder can be covered. This includes making arrangements to appoint a new executive (such as a board member) by establishing or reviewing an existing advance directive.

  • Ensuring the desired company succession and preventing fragmentation of company shares by preparing or reviewing an existing last will for the event of death (will, marriage and inheritance contract, and agreement on renunciation of inheritance).

  • Reviewing the entrepreneurs' current pension situation in the event of invalidity or death following an illness or accident (1st, 2nd, and 3rd pillar) to uncover any gaps in current pension fund assets and in the area of accident insurance.

  • Maintaining the usual standard of living for entrepreneurs and their families by optimizing the pension solutions.

  • Including a provision for continuation of desired investment strategy in an advance directive.

  • Reviewing the current discretionary mandate or drawing up a new one.

Personal consultation

Do you have any questions, or would you like advice on the emergency plan for entrepreneurs? Contact us and schedule a personal consultation with our experts.