07/21/2026
Most multi-owner businesses skip these two documents to save time and money. It usually costs them far more later.
A Shareholder Agreement governs the day-to-day — voting, dividends, decision rights. A Buy-Sell Agreement decides what happens when a co-owner exits — the valuation of shares, the terms of sale, how it's paid for. They are not interchangeable, and they should not be rolled into one.
The latest issue of The Tides explains what each does, why keeping them separate is best practice, and how the Connelly Supreme Court decision changes buy-sell planning. Read it athttps://tamaraharper.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The-Tides-Issue-5.pdf, or call us at 805-409-0530.