The need to develop reliable, defensible fair value markets for hard-to-value assets is universal.  Sujan Rajbhandary, senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, sits down with Travis Harms to get his insight from a financial reporting perspective on a few issues around valuations of startups. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's Financial Reporti ...

United we Thrive, Divided we Fail: Brighten your Firm’s Future with Six Unity Strategies   Arguing and disrespect among partners can undermine a firm's effectiveness and productivity.  Here are six strategies for building a cohesive firm.  Jennifer Wilson, partner and co-founder of ConvergenceCoaching LLC, explains that when your leadership enhances partner unity, your firm’s success will go a long way ...

Automation anxieties concerning the impact of technology on the labor force go back to the Industrial Revolution.  More recent technological advancements have helped to decrease the separation between work and home life.  However, it seems unlikely technology will lead to widespread unemployment.  Irving Wladawsky-Berger, contributor to CIO Journal, discusses the angst driven by continual automation improve ...

For some businesses, the possibility for goodwill impairment is an issue.  Lucas M. Parris, senior member of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, explains the FASB proposed changes and what the Board has been discussing for a couple years now.   To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: New Rules for Goodwill Impairment?. Thi ...

The financial advisory profession is growing, but some states are better than others for adviser pay.  Dan Berman, Contributing Editor for ThinkAdvisor, looks at the best, and the worst, states when comparing the mean U.S. salary for financial advisors. To find out more on this ThinkAdvisor article, click: ThinkAdvisor (best) and ThinkAdvisor (worst). ...

Making decisions when faced with a difficult situation is not an effective estate planning strategy.  Encourage clients to plan before a stressful life change occurs.  It is important to help them set up health care proxies, consider nominating guardians or conservators, and revise estate plans when they make changes to their wills or trust.  Patricia M. Annino, from Estate Planning practice at Prince Lobel ...

Does anyone know what the future holds for markets?  Perhaps fairness options can help financial advisors seek the answers they are looking for.  Jeff K. Davis, Managing Director of Mercer Capital’s Financial Institutions Group, explores this option and some issues to consider when deciding if it should be used in a falling market.   To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's ...

Crowdfunding has taken off providing CPAs with many chances to cultivate new business—and also carries risks for investors.  Courtney L. Vien, JofA associate editor, discusses the crowdfunding basics and what an exciting area of opportunity this may be for some CPAs. To find out more on this JofA article, click: Crowdfunding Brings New Opportunities for CPAs. ...

This article provides more than a dozen tips to help transform your computer into a lean, clean performance machine.  J. Carlton Collins, Journal of Accountancy contributing editor, provides some excellent user-friendly instructions to help get your computer running more efficiently. To find out more on this Journal of Accountancy article, click: Boost Your Computer’s Performance. ...

Two corporate finance tools available to private companies are leveraged share repurchases and leveraged dividend recapitalizations.  Z. Christopher Mercer, founder and CEO of Mercer Capital, looks at which transaction may be the right one for you or for your client. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: Leveraged Dividend Recapitalizations an ...

When you "like" a company or group on Facebook, you may unwittingly be surrendering certain legal rights.  J. Carlton Collins, Journal of Accountancy's contributing editor, discusses some of the pitfalls and what could potentially happen. To find out more on Journal of Accountancy's article, click: Social Media: Be Careful What You “Like”. ...

The House passed a bill earlier this year that would repeal the estate tax, but it's unlikely the Senate will approve the measure.  David Lenok, senior editor for Wealthmanagement.com and Trusts & Estates, looks at an act that would allow people who expect to owe estate taxes to pay what they owe while they are still alive. To find out more on this Wealthmanagement.com article, click: Bi-Partisan Estate ...

Is the degree of difficulty on the rise for fair value measurements?  Travis Harms, leader of Mercer Capital’s Financial Reporting Valuation Group, looks at some interesting current trends   To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: Turning on the Fasten Seat Belt Sign: Fair Value Measurement in Turbulence.  This article is republished from M ...

Bank for International Settlements sees global trouble brewing   Several major factors are converging and posing a threat to the global economy, the Bank for International Settlements said in a report.  China's slowdown is hurting emerging markets dependent on commodity exports, the bank said, even as the rising value of the U.S. dollar adds stress in markets where much debt is dollar-denominated.  Bri ...

There are many reasons why clients need solid financial advice in these turbulent times.  This article lays out four of them, starting with the observation that nobody—or almost nobody—can time the markets.  Bob Clark, Editor-at-Large for Investment Advisor Magazine, explains the importance of speaking to the client’s understanding and the importance of a financial advisor’s role.   To find out more on ...

Are you covered for data breaches?  The skinny on cyber liability insurance   Finding out that clients' data was stolen or accessed would be a nightmare for any CPA.  To make it worse, the recovery costs may not be entirely covered by standard insurance policies.  Valrie Chambers, CPA, explores cyber liability insurance and offers key points to consider as filing season approaches.   To find out m ...

In recent years, appraisal arbitrage cases seem to be a more strategy.  Karolina Grabowicz, a senior financial analyst with Mercer Capital, looks at some current cases and their outcomes.   To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: To (Appraisal) Arbitrage or Not?  This article is republished from Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog.  I ...

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. ...

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 ...

The SEC is casting an eye to examine public company filings.  Samantha Albert, Senior financial analyst with Mercer Capital, looks at how their tools have been successful thus far. To read more about the results of this report in the Mercer Capital's Financial Reporting Blog, click: In the Eye of the Beholder: Increasing SEC Scrutiny of Public Company Fair Value Marks. This article is republished from Merce ...