A taxable asset purchase allows the buyer to "step up," or increase, the tax basis of the acquired assets to reflect the purchase price. Both the seller and purchaser of a group of assets that makes up a trade or business must use Form 8594 to report such a sale.A business sale agreement is a legal document that describes and records the price and other details when a business owner sells the business. In an asset sale, the new owner purchases the business's physical assets. The seller retains all rights to the legal entity. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. The sale of a business is typically a frenetic time for both the seller and the purchaser.