• QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Caution: Be Sure to Consider Tax Structure

    When Using Guideline Transaction Data Income taxes play a major role in the pricing and structure of business transactions because income tax consequences associated with the sale or purchase of a business can substantially reduce the seller’s net proceeds and/or lower the net cost of a purchased ownership interest to the buyer. Because of this issue, it seems appropriate to assume that actual transactions are structured by buyers and sellers to address such income tax consequences. This article addresses the impact of federal income taxes on transaction prices and terms, and considers the impact of taxation on the selling prices…

  • QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story - Valuation/Appraisal

    Dissecting the IRS Job Aid on S Corporation Tax Affecting

    Background and Objectives of the Job Aid (Part 1 of 3) The release of this series of Job Aids has been hailed by many as a new era of communication and understanding between the Internal Revenue Service, taxpayers, and practitioners. However, in the opinion of this author, and others, releasing these additional documents in such a formal manner seems to be an attempt to influence practitioner behaviors in specific practice areas without statutory support. As was the case with the earlier Job Aid on Discounts for Lack of Marketability, the newest Job Aid contains little new information. Predictably, the position…

  • Press Release - QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Valuation Concerns Mark Southern Capital Forum: Are VC Trends the Canary in the RIA Coal Mine?

    The annual Southern Capital Forum sponsored by Mercer Capital brought to light several interesting comments.  Matthew Crow, President of Mercer Capital, looks at some of these dealing with stretched valuations. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog, click: Valuation concerns mark Southern Capital Forum: Are VC trends the canary in the RIA coal mine?  This article is republished from Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Blog.  It is reprinted with permission.  To subscribe to the blog, visit: http://mercercapital.com/category/financialreportingblog/.

  • Accounting - QuickPress - QuickRead Featured

    Proposed Rules Govern Taxation of Gifts and Bequests from Covered Expatriates

    The IRS issues long-awaited rules on taxation of gifts and bequests from covered expatriates.  Sally P. Schreiber, Journal of Accountancy senior editor, discusses the recently proposed regulations and what’s to be expected. To find out more on the AICPA’s article, click: Proposed rules govern taxation of gifts and bequests from covered expatriates.

  • Estate Planning - QuickPress - QuickRead Featured

    Breaking the Barriers of Estate Planning Fatigue

    Push past estate planning fatigue and build a better relationship with your clients and their descendants.  Many advisors find difficulty and obstacles when guiding their clients through this process.  Kimberly Bernatz, Senior Vice President and Director, Wealth Management Advisory Services, First American Trust, FSB, walks you through some important steps to keep in mind when developing an estate plan.  To find out more on this Wealth Management article, click: Breaking the Barriers of Estate Planning Fatigue.

  • Case Law - QuickRead Featured

    To Cite or Not to Cite?

    Thoughts From the Field on Whether to Cite Legal Precedent in a Report Should a valuation analyst include legal citations in a report? Calculation engagement? In this article, Peter Agrapides, MBA, CVA, shares his thoughts on that question.

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    How Social Media Impacts Business Development

    Not all Social Networks Are Created Equal Has your firm embraced social media? Be ready! The days of ignoring social media are long gone. Professional services firms looking to accelerate their growth need to embrace social media and dedicate the resources needed to create a strategy, implement it, and track it. In this article, the author presents research on the impact and value of social media to professional service organizations.

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Featured

    Promote Opportunity

    Demonstrate Leadership to Get Ahead Training leaders means developing a partnership between the employer and employees. This involves both bottom line and business metrics, as well as behavioral and team building skills. The issues related to soft skills such as behavioral and team-building skills are explored in depth in Mike Gregory’s book, The Servant Manager, 203 tips from the best places to work in America. This article introduces some of the concepts from this book and a corresponding video series.

  • Case Law - QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Estate of Giustina v. Commissioner

    Tax Controversy Insights In matters argued before the U.S. Tax Court, valuation professionals are frequently asked to provide opinions related to the value of closely held businesses and of fractional ownership interests in closely held businesses. This discussion relates to a recent appeal of a U.S. Tax Court decision involving such valuation issues. The case in question is Natale B. Giustina v. Commissioner. In this case, the Tax Court’s selection of the method for valuing a fractional ownership interest in a closely held business was appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Appeals Court…

  • Mergers and Acquisitions/Exit Planning - QuickRead Featured - Valuation/Appraisal

    Treatment of Selling/Employee Shareholder

    Transition Period Payments After a Business Acquisition Owner’s of closely held businesses will usually be required to remain active in the business after the same is sold. This article examines two key questions related to such post-transaction transition payments: (1) how much should the buyer pay to the sellers for these transition period services, and (2) how should these transition period payments be structured?

  • Healthcare - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    The Utilization of the Market Approach

    In Appraising Outpatient Enterprises Healthcare related outpatient enterprises provide services that do not require hospital admission and may be performed outside the premises of a hospital. Similar to valuation of any business, valuations of outpatient enterprises should include consideration of the three general approaches to valuation (i.e., the income approach, the market approach, and the asset/cost approach). The specific valuation methods selected under each engagement will be guided by the facts and circumstances surrounding the hypothetical transaction of the subject property interest (e.g., availability of data, nature of the current transactional marketplace). This article focuses on utilizing a market approach…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Featured

    Communicating Effectively with Others

    Recognizing How a Position-Based Perspective Limits Communication The topic of communication, diversity, and perspective may initially seem like basic common sense. However, exploring how you and others look at things through our own lenses based on personal experiences shapes how we interact with others. In this article, the author shares his views on what limits communication and what it takes to effectively communicate with others.

  • Financial Forensics - QuickRead Featured

    Terms of Art

    Understanding the Language of Chapter 11 Cramdown This article will examine terms of art used in a Chapter 11 cramdown. These terms go hand in hand during a contested or cramdown hearing. The court will work to assure that the bankruptcy definition of these terms is met before confirming a plan. Any expert expecting to testify at a cramdown hearing should have a working knowledge of their meaning.

  • Litigation Consulting - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    Lost Profits: The Reasonable Certainty Standards and the Modern New Business Rule

    While the vast majority of jurisdictions have moved away from the new business rule and adopted the modern new business rule, by which new/unestablished businesses can recover damages, such adoption does not diminish the requirements under the reasonable certainty standard. Given the lack of historical financial performance data and under the lens of the reasonable certainty standard, estimates of lost profits damages to new/unestablished businesses are subject to a higher level of scrutiny. This article focuses on new/unestablished businesses and the importance of post-incident business-specific data/facts to isolate the effects of the disputed event, and to establish a measure of…

  • Practice Management - QuickRead Featured

    Why a High-Performance Website May be Your Firm’s Greatest Asset

    For those of us who spent much of our careers in the old professional services marketplace, it’s all too easy to think of our firm websites as an afterthought–something you have to have in today’s world, but not a priority. A growing body of research demonstrates, however, that this couldn’t be further from the truth. This article looks at recent research on the matter and suggests that a website may well be the most important asset of a firm.

  • Accounting - QuickRead Featured

    Fair Value Accounting

    Moving from Facts to Opinion? ASC 820 under US GAAP and IFRS 13 issued by IASB provide a principal based framework for fair value measurement. Though fair value measurement guidance in US GAAP and IFRS are substantially in the same line, some minor differences exist. This article discusses the IFRS 13 and challenges in its implementation.

  • Healthcare - QuickRead Featured - QuickRead Top Story

    Determination of the Appropriate Standard of Value

    An In-Depth Series on Healthcare Valuation This first installment will discuss Fair Market Value, the most prevalent standard of value in the healthcare industry, and why this is the required standard of value for most healthcare transactions. This article will also discuss the premise of value, which further defines the circumstances of the transaction, and how to determine which methods may be applicable to valuing an outpatient enterprise.