THE SHORT ANSWER
Identify the work the buyer needs from you, then connect it to the actual accepted transition agreement. Clarify authority, availability, compensation, support and ending conditions. Separate contractual duties from additional help the buyer requests. Buyer satisfaction, operational success and earnout payment are different questions; a seller role does not guarantee any of them.
Turn buyer expectations into specific duties
Ask the buyer which activities require your knowledge: customer introductions, technical explanation, vendor history, staff training or financial context. Identify the expected deliverable and recipient for each request. Avoid agreeing to an open-ended promise to make integration succeed.
SBA discusses the agreement and obligations involved in a sale.
(SBA: closing or selling a business)Have counsel connect the proposed role to the purchase, employment or consulting documents. Confirm which duties are accepted and which remain proposals. A buyer’s integration schedule does not automatically extend your contractual availability.
Resolve decision rights and capacity
Identify who can make operating decisions, supervise staff and approve additional work. Clarify how requests reach you and what happens if they exceed the agreed scope. The continuing team needs usable responsibilities rather than competing informal instructions.
| Role question | Term to clarify |
|---|---|
| Duties | Specific accepted work and deliverables |
| Authority | Who decides and who may request support? |
| Availability | Time, location, response expectations and absences |
| Resources | Buyer support, access and compensation |
| Ending | Completion evidence and actual ending conditions |
Discuss your own plans and capacity while the terms can still be assessed.
Provide knowledge through authorized access
Prepare the information needed for the agreed work and identify permitted recipients. Private customer or employee records require appropriate handling even when the parties expect a cooperative transition. Use the agreed channel and access controls.
FTC guidance addresses necessary information and appropriate access.
(FTC: Start with Security business guidance)Do not put shared passwords or unrestricted personnel notes into a general handoff document. Ask the responsible system administrator and advisers to arrange legitimate access for the required duties.
Keep performance and payment questions distinct
Document completed duties, outstanding requests and scope questions with the buyer. Have advisers address disagreement using the actual agreement. Do not assume that supporting every proposed personnel or operational change is required or that additional unpaid availability protects your payout.
Use the earnout administration log for contingent-payment rights and account-level handoffs for customer work. No prescribed 100-day role, buyer-satisfaction score or automatic authority transfer is established. The practical aim is an understood, documented role that the parties can perform.
Owner questions
Must I support every buyer change after selling?
Review the actual duties and authority you accepted with counsel.
Does extra availability guarantee the earnout?
No. Payment depends on the accepted provisions and actual results.
Does an integration plan define my compensation?
Use the accepted compensation and role documents rather than an operating schedule.
Sources and review scope
Source review completed . The sources below support the identified concepts or rules; they do not validate hypothetical amounts or a valuation of your business.
- SBA: closing or selling a business
Valuation approaches, sale agreements, assets and ownership transfer.
- FTC: Start with Security business guidance
General security practices illustrated through FTC settlement allegations, not findings about this business, a certification, or a complete privacy-law assessment.
Confirm tax, legal, accounting and lending applications with the relevant professionals. Historical market observations describe the stated period and reported sample.
This is educational material. Industry figures and program rules can change; check the original sources and your advisors before applying them to a transaction. Calculator scenarios are not appraisals, lending decisions, or offers.
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