Differences Between the Two Values Damages remedies often focus on lost profits and lost business value, with such remedies typically calculated by financial experts. There continues to be a trend in the courts to preclude experts from testifying, or to disregard them altogether because their opinion does not meet the reasonable certainty standard. Either of these outcomes can be a devastating result for th ...

The informational interview can show off your initiative and soft skills to a potential employer.  However, the convenience of online fact gathering has caused the informational interview to fade.  But, as Sabine Vollmer, senior editor of CGMA Magazine, explains, a new generation of job-seekers is rediscovering this classic networking tactic. To read the full article in CGMA Magazine, click: How to Turn a C ...

There's a window of opportunity before clients reach age 70 in order to mitigate some of the bite.  Paul Norr shares some great tips to prepare your clients for their future years. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Avoid the Social Security Tax Trap. ...

A merger or acquisition is a critical move, and many don’t work out.  Are you ready to make the jump?  John J. Bowden Jr. explores some topics you should consider first. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: How to Play the M&A Game. ...

The option pricing model, or OPM, is one of the shiniest new tools in the valuation specialist’s toolkit.  Travis W. Harms, Mercer Capital Financial Reporting Valuation Group lead, discusses the purpose of this post is to clarify the fundamental insight underlying the model and illustrate its application so that non-specialist users of valuation reports can gain greater comfort with the model.  Part 2 will ...

What About Subsequent Events—Lessons from the Valuation of Artwork? In the December 2015 Tax Court Memo Estate of Newberger v. Commissioner, the Tax Court considered post-date-of-death sales prices in the valuation of three separate pieces of artwork owned by the decedent. Considered in one instance was the sale of the actual piece of art itself, and in two other instances, the sale of other pieces of art c ...

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have continued growing since 2008’s financial crisis.  Through the first three months of 2016, the value of worldwide M&A totaled nearly $750 billion.  Cross-border M&A activity totaled $308 billion—accounting for a quarterly record-high 41% share of global M&A value.  As in previous years, M&A in industries with hefty intangible assets—such as pharmaceutic ...

Getting Your Groove Back After Tax Season The adrenaline rush is over, the returns are filed and vacation beckons.  However, post-busy-season blues may creep in, observes Cari Weston, CPA, director of the AICPA's Tax Practice & Ethics Team and a former tax practice owner.  She offers ways you can learn from the past season to move your practice forward and celebrate being a tax practitioner.  Want to ex ...

How to Avoid Common Mistakes in Accounting Firm M&A Steer clear of these fatal flaws and your acquisition will have a much better chance of succeeding.  For firms that want to expand, Brannon Poe, founder of accounting practice brokerage firm Poe Group Advisors, explains how finding strategic solutions to potential roadblocks can greatly impact post-close results. To read the full article in the Journal ...

How to Keep a Meeting on Track Too often, people sit silently as meetings meander off course and drag on far beyond the scheduled time.  Joseph Grenny provides seven ways attendees can get meetings back on track, such as restating problems and making sure everyone understands their responsibilities. To read the full article in the Harvard Business Review, click: 7 Ways to Stop a Meeting from Dragging On. ...

The issue of dividends and dividend policy is of great significance to owners of closely held and family businesses and deserves considered attention.  This highly informative blog is excerpted from Z. Christopher Mercer’s (founder and chief executive officer of Mercer Capital) newest book: Unlocking Private Company Wealth. To read the full article in Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: An Int ...

Shift Your Investment Effort How much should a high-growth firm invest in marketing? What techniques or investments pay off more—traditional or social marketing? What should a high-growth marketing firm expect from these investments? How do results differ from firms that are not growing? How do high-growth firms differ from other firms? In this article, Dr. Frederiksen answers these and other questions. ...

Visualized Financial Statement Analysis The use of Excel and graphics, commonly referred to as data visualization, can provide a fuller or more holistic view of changes in an entity. Does the traditional audit or report that is devoid of data visualization serve the client? In this article, the author “propos[es] not a replacement for ratios…but rather that financial statement analysis should return to a mo ...

The Case of Trademarks and Brands Since the adoption of fair value accounting governed by SFAS 141 (in 2001) and IFRS 3 (in 2004), hundreds of thousands of different intangible assets have been valued, audited, and reported in financial statements of public companies all over the world. After fifteen years of fair value accounting, the debate about the accuracy of such values and their relevance for readers ...

Digital Security: Apple, Taxes, and Terrorism The FBI has attempted to compel Apple, Inc. to defeat its own encryption.  Because Apple has thus far refused, a federal court in California will hear arguments.  The case is certain to have far-reaching implications for the nature of digital security.  Adam Junkroski, lead manager Tax Communications for AICPA, explains how the unbreakable encryption at the cent ...

The Many Tax Benefits of Making Charitable Contributions With IRA Distributions Now that the provision permitting these contributions is permanent, taxpayers can take maximum advantage of this rule, even using life insurance to increase the gift to charity.  David K. Smucker, CPA, Advanced Consulting Group director with Nationwide Insurance, explains that the recent legislation making the $100,000 charitabl ...

The presence of an unrecognized device attempting to access your Google account could be a serious threat.  J. Carlton Collins, JofA contributing editor, recommends you remove the unknown device and change your password immediately. To read the full article in the Journal of Accountancy, click: Cybersecurity: Unknown Google Device. ...

The FASB announced sweeping changes to the accounting for leases earlier this year that will affect nearly all financial statement issuers.  Travis W Harms, Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group lead, discusses each topic. To read the full article in Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: 7 Things to Know About the New Lease Accounting Rules. This article is republished from Mercer ...

A Taxpayer Loss—Assets Included in the Estate We find ourselves in a familiar place once again—that is, analyzing a case in which the IRS attacked an FLP under I.R.C. § 2036. Just two months ago, I wrote an overview of Estate of Purdue v. Commissioner, (T.C. Memo 2015-249), in which the IRS attacked a closely-held asset holding company, in that case it was an LLC, under I.R.C. §2036. While both holding comp ...

Nuances Valuing and Normalizing an Auto Dealership There are many reasons an auto dealership may require a business valuation; buy-sell agreements, shareholder disputes, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and estate planning and gifting strategies. In many instances, there will be an opposing party that questions the validity of the final value, whether it be a dissenting stockholder or the Internal Re ...