An earnout provision makes the purchase price (typically, some part of it) payable in the future dependent on the buyer's financial performance. This drafting guide for an acquisition agreement details earn-out provisions and instances when these components should be negotiated.1.5 Purchase Price and Adjustments. (a) Determination of Purchase Price and Earn-Out. Earnout arrangements have important tax implications for both the buyer and seller. This article focuses on the buyer side of the equation. An earn-out works as a mechanism that allows the buyer to defer a portion of the purchase price until the occurrence or failure of a predetermined metric. An earnout provision can be utilized if an entrepreneur seeking to sell a business is asking for a price more than a buyer is willing to pay. Expert guidance for successful transactions. An earnout allows the buyer to pay a higher potential reward to the seller while simultaneously reducing the buyer's risk.