Pre-close · Aerospace & Defense

State Tax Planning for Aerospace & Defense Independent Sponsors

Independent sponsor counsel for aerospace and defense, focused on State Tax Planning and the deal mechanics that protect sponsor economics and LP alignment.

EV range $15M to $200M EV EBITDA $3M to $30M Audience Buy-side / Sponsor
The deal context

Aerospace & Defense deals in the lower middle market run a specific playbook. State Tax Planning is where the structure either holds or starts to leak.

The typical aerospace and defense platform sits at $15M to $200M EV with EBITDA in the $3M to $30M range. The thesis runs on tier-two or tier-three supplier consolidation with certifications as moat. Foreign LP capital can trigger CFIUS review on the cleanest of deals. Map the cap table early.

The moves

How State Tax Planning actually gets structured.

  1. Map nexus exposure in every state the target operates in, including remote workers.

  2. Plan sales tax succession liability, particularly in California, New York, and Texas.

  3. Address pass-through entity tax (PTET) elections where federal SALT cap matters.

  4. Document state-by-state qualification for the new entity post-close.

  5. In aerospace and defense, layer in ITAR / EAR registration transferred or refiled before close as part of the State Tax Planning workstream.

The common mistake

Assuming state tax is a closing-mechanics issue. It is a valuation issue when the historic liability is large.

Jason's take
"State tax is where the seller's lawyer forgot to look. The buyer always pays for it."
Jason Powell · State Tax Planning
Capital after close

The deal is one thing. The capital that opens up after close is another.

After close, the call list for refinancing, recapitalization, and growth equity gets short and known. Jason carries that list.

MONTH 18
Senior refi
MONTH 24
Dividend recap
MONTH 36
Growth equity
YEAR 4–5
Strategic exit
WORK WITH JASON

Bring the aerospace and defense deal. Get State Tax Planning done right.

Direct counsel from a securities and M&A attorney with billions in structured transactions, the independent-sponsor-native playbook, and the capital markets network that opens up post-close.