Understanding the Magic Mediation is an exceedingly simple and yet extremely powerful dispute resolution process. Principles, process, and prerequisites coalesce to produce the magic of mediation. Those understanding the essential three “P's” of mediation benefit by becoming better negotiators, thus producing more satisfying results and enjoying higher settlement rates. ...

As a Fraud Deterrence Tool Trained forensic professionals investigate accounting and financial transactions that are, or will become, subject to legal proceedings. It is an early step in a potential war, and many times it is the first shot. Attorneys and c-level executives are often not familiar with forensic techniques and see it as a means to quantify a loss. Financial forensics also provides a means to d ...

An increasing number of industry pricing experts are advising CPA firms to consider replacing their billable hour pricing with a fixed pricing or value pricing model.  Author and consultant Ron Baker and the Journal of Accountancy have a question and answer session to discuss the conversations that firms must have in order to implement value pricing.  They talk about questions CPAs should ask during the con ...

The Structure of Physician Compensation The structure of compensation for hospital/health-system employed physicians is a constant struggle for administrators with the rise of physician practice acquisitions and subsequent employment of these physicians. Based on estimates from Jackson Healthcare1, approximately 35 percent of all physicians are employed by a hospital/health-system. As a result, the issue of ...

Creating Value for Business Owners and Board Members In this article, Edward Mendlowitz, CPA, ABA, CFF. shares his views regarding the importance of having a business valued. He identifies 50 ways that a valuation professional can provide something far more valuable than a number. While the valuation profession is under pressure to reduce costs or prepare a report, the business owner is better served in the ...

The requirements that S corporations must meet may be challenging but any violation of the rules may result in an inadvertent termination of an S corporation’s status.  Sally P. Schreiber, senior editor with the AICPA Magazines & Newsletters team, outlines the S corporation requirements and talks about the seven types of trusts that qualify to be S corporation shareholders.  She discusses how the IRS is ...

Part 2: AIRA Issues New Standards for Distressed Business Valuation In this second article on AIRA Standards, the author discusses unique issues valuing distressed companies. These include the standard of value used, the premise of value, the intended use of the valuation, and cost of capital. The author also discusses the use and level of acceptance of the Industry Risk Premium (IRP) in the bankruptcy/reor ...

Beware of the Limitations of Hospital Transaction Databases The market approach is one of three established valuation approaches. In this approach the valuation analyst will look for comparable companies. In this article the authors caution against the outright use of databases as a means of developing a Conclusion of Value for a hospital. Independent verification is time-consuming and essential. The author ...

The Securities and Exchange Commission recently issued Regulation A+ that amends the existing exemption from registration requirements for smaller issues of securities. This ruling creates a two-tiered offering structure that will solve many of the limitations of Regulation A. Madeline L. Harrigan, a financial analyst with Mercer Capital, says the updated Regulation A+ provides a greater annual dollar limit ...

Evolving Accounting Standards for CPAs Wiley author, Joanne Flood, reviews three 2015 Accounting Standards Updates (ASUs). Those reviewed are ASU 2015-01, Income Statement—Extraordinary and Unusual Items (Subtopic 225-20): Simplifying Income Statement Presentation by Eliminating the Concept of Extraordinary Items,; ASU 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis; and ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Prese ...

A Former Insider’s Views on the Subject of Compensation What is reasonable compensation? In this article, Michael Gregory proposes that while the views of the U.S. Tax Court are well-understood, those of the IRS are not. In this article he underscores the importance of this matter to business valuation professionals. ...

  Democrats and Republicans in the House are divided on the issue of repealing the estate tax. Republican says this tax is unfair to people who must pay taxes as they accumulate wealth through the years. Democrats want to expand the tax, hitting more estates with a higher top rate. Bernie Becker discusses these issues in The Hill and explains the House is divided. Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/Free ...

Unique Situations from Common Assignments The assessment of interest rates and appraising the value of a business are assignments not limited to bankruptcy work alone. Most financial experts are familiar with the methods required to perform these tasks. Even in the application of these basic analyses, Chapter 11 bankruptcy may present unusual assignments. This article discusses two unique situations that ma ...

Build Your Own Industry Risk Premium – for Free There are a number of resources in the internet that business valuation analysts can use and incorporate into their practices. Best of all, these resources are free. With a little knowledge of excel, basic understanding of API and how it works, and knowing where to look, practitioners can readily use this information in a valuation engagement. What follows is ...

  Advisors often ask how they should defend their fees when working with small clients who contribute the least revenue to the firm. Beverly Flaxington, a practice management consultant, suggests firms use a tier approach that classifies clients and outlines services and fees provided at each level. Remind clients during consultations of the services and values provided by your firm. ...

With Commentary by Original IRS Champion Leading valuation practitioners have proposed various models to guide practitioners valuing controlling and non-controlling interests. The published Tax Court cases—precedents—have favored the position of the IRS. The author suggests that is not surprising. In a soon-to-be released book, Michael Gregory highlights the importance of a new Job Aid focused on valuation ...

Managing Expectations of Sellers and Buyers Using the Right Standard of Value The author presents eight standards of value that a valuation analyst may need to consider and discuss with a client. Each standard has a different set of rules and the valuations can vary greatly. Valuing a business is an art – not a science – even though careful calculations are made to arrive at an appraisal of the business. Th ...

Privately held companies can expect the level of scrutiny over equity compensation-related valuation to increase with the size of the equity compensation grant. Getting the valuation process right the first time for equity compensation grant compliance is always the least expensive route says Sujan Rajbhandary, vice president, and senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group. In thi ...

Distinct Qualities and Considerations (Part 2 of 2) In the first part of this series, the author looked at some of the methodologies for considering closely held or private companies. In this second part, the last of the two-part series, the author reviews some of the IRS, judicial, investment banking practices. and other considerations in the valuation process. ...

The Importance of Being Truly Independent The rise of Daubert challenges to valuation experts has resulted in more than just the exclusions of valuation experts. When an expert is excluded for "subjective belief" and "unsupported speculation" by the court, a closer examination into such commentary made by courts reveals the increasingly problematic trend of experts failing to perform independent analyses. ...