In 2014, sixth-grader Lilli Hicks was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, setting into motion a rush of tests, treatments and prescriptions that would consume her family’s life for the next several years. Nearly five years later, while the family’s eldest daughter has recovered physically, the Hicks’ are fighting a protracted battle to restore their financial health. Treating cancer and the unexpected costs that come with it put the family about $75,000 in debt. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Fighting Cancer’s Financial Aftershocks.
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Life never follows a straight path, and neither will your career. Whether your goal is to advance from your cubicle into the corner office, strike out on your own, or move into a different profession altogether, it pays to map out a strategy for how to get there. To read the full article in Journal of Accountancy, click: Strategic Career Mapping Can Lead to Professional Fulfillment.
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In Dissenting Shareholder Appraisal Rights Matters (Part II of II) The Delaware Court of Chancery decisions on the treatment of synergistic value in dissenting shareholder appraisal rights cases provide meaningful guidance to valuation analysts, legal counsel, and other courts. This final part of the article continues the discussion on recent judicial decisions issued by the Delaware Court of Chancery where synergistic value was a consideration in a dissenting shareholder appraisal rights matter. This discussion provides insights related to the treatment of synergistic value within the context of a statutory appraisal rights fair value controversy. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources: Foundations of Financial Forensics…
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Of Your Work? What can a BVFLS professional do to stand out amongst his or her peers? In this article, Rod Burkert shares his thoughts. How do BVFLS professionals like us to demonstrate our analytical skill? How do we exhibit our problem-solving acumen? How do we showcase our report writing talent? I have an idea…turns out it is somewhat controversial…but read on and let me know what you think. All creatives—artists, writers, musicians, photographers, graphic designers, website developers, etc.—carry a portfolio of their work they can show to a prospective employer or client and say, “See, I’ve done this. This…
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When we see CEOs, founders, influencers and other people highlighted in our daily scrolls on our devices, the individuals almost always look polished. They are poised and confident, and they most surely achieve inbox zero at the end of every day. Yet what is rarely captured is the less photogenic stuff—the steady grind, the setbacks and sacrifices—that come on the way to success. To read the full article in Ideas.Ted.Com, click: What I Wish I’d Known when I Started My Career.
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Planning their daily routine in retirement could be less complicated than most clients think, writes a Wall Street Journal columnist. In fact, most of what they will do as retirees are found in their current daily chores. “[T]he average day in retirement involves a fair amount of puttering,” which “typically doesn’t cost a lot of money,” the columnist writes. It is good news for clients who are worried about burning through their savings. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Daily Life in Retirement is Loss Costly than Clients Think.
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When you know a high-stress event is coming up, it is natural to stress yourself out before it even happens. This common pattern is called “meta-stress,” and it occurs when you worry about stress in advance. And while tense situations are bound to happen in our personal and professional lives, there are ways to alleviate those uneasy feelings beforehand, and save yourself from the buildup of anxious thoughts that can take a toll on your well-being. To read the full article in Thrive Global, click: How to Prepare for Stress Before It Happens.
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Engage the audience! Conducting webinars is a great way to accomplish that goal; however, it is important to understand how the topic selected can have a dramatic effect on its success. Just as a great headline can hook readers, a good webinar topic will bring in more attendees—and the more people who attend, the more opportunities will arise for the speaker and his or her firm to sell services. This article discusses what it takes to develop a winning webinar topic.
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In Dissenting Shareholder Appraisal Rights Matters (Part I of II) The Delaware Court of Chancery decisions on the treatment of synergistic value in dissenting shareholder appraisal rights cases provide meaningful guidance to valuation analysts, legal counsel, and other courts. In this two-part article, the author discusses recent judicial decisions issued by the Delaware Court of Chancery where synergistic value was a consideration in a dissenting shareholder appraisal rights matter. This discussion provides insights related to the treatment of synergistic value within the context of a statutory appraisal rights fair value controversy. [su_pullquote align=”right”]Resources: Foundations Of Financial Forensics Workshop Financial Litigation…
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From investing in and advising dozens of marketplace businesses for more than a decade, we have found that while simple five-star systems are good enough at identifying and weeding out very low-quality products or suppliers, they do a poor job of separating good from great products or suppliers. This may not be a big issue for marketplaces offering commodity products and services, but it can be a serious problem for marketplaces where it is important to allow truly great providers to differentiate themselves clearly. To read the full article in Harvard Business Review, click: The Problems with Five-Star Rating Systems…
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Health care in the U.S. is a mess. Real health care reform is nowhere on the horizon. Not exactly breaking news for the general population. But for advisors it is a clear and present call to arms. Until Washington wakes up, educating clients to become knowledgeable health insurance consumers will help them save on health care expenses and add value to your practice. Here is a primer on what they need to know—and how you can help them. To read the full article in Financial Planning, click: Helping Clients through the Healthcare Maze.
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It is a familiar scenario. As a manager, you have tasked an employee with a large project and given them a generous allocation of time to get it done. Yet, while they appear to be busy, they are not making any progress as their deadline looms. When it comes down to the wire, they spring into action, find their focus, and get the job done, often just in the nick of time. To read the full article in Financial Management, click: Helping Procrastinators Stay on Track.
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Denny Construction, Inc. v. City and County of Denver, Colorado, acting by and through its Board of Water Commissioners This article presents a case analysis wherein a general contractor sued for breach of contract and litigated the owner for breach of co bid due to its impaired bonding capacity, which resulted from defendant’s declaration of default and claim against the contractor’s performance bond. This latter act had a negative impact on the general contractor since the surety company reduced or eliminated the general contractor’s bonding capacity until the litigation was resolved. Therefore, the general contractor was unable to bid on…
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Technology Expectations This article discusses the importance of adopting the latest technology and software and how to minimize the value gap. Most accountants have struggled to keep up with this new wave of technology and a growing value gap is arising in firms of all sizes. This value gap represents all the lost opportunities by not having the right technology solutions in place. These lost opportunities include a loss of revenue, the inability to attract new clients, realization struggles, and difficulties in hiring and retaining staff. Has your firm utilized technology to its fullest capacity to provide the highest quality…
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While affordability remained a top hurdle for homebuyers in recent years, tales of accelerated home price appreciation wane. Property values are steadying and even declining in major cities, and the housing market heads for what is considered “normalcy” for the first time in two decades, according to Zillow. To read the full article in National Mortgage News, click: 12 Housing Markets where Home Buyers Get the Most Bang for their Buck.
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David was extremely gratified when he was named businessman of the year. He felt he deserved the recognition. Many articles had portrayed him as an entrepreneur who had reframed his industry, which gave him the courage to make his boldest move yet: taking over his largest competitor. Some analysts had said that he paid far too much for the company. Then bankers became nervous and soon reporters joined in. To read the full article in Insead Knowledge, click: The Icarus Syndrome: Execs Who Fly Too Close to the Sun.
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In the wake of various state deregulatory proposals that threaten to have an adverse effect on the CPA profession, the AICPA and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) have helped found a new coalition of advanced professions focused on educating policymakers and the public about the importance of rigorous professional licensing standards. To read the full article in Journal of Accountancy, click: Coalition Launched to Protect Professional Licensing.
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It is all Based on Your Perspective In this article, the author presents three common ways that a single purchase price may be calculated and presented. With football season on the horizon, I cannot help but think about September 24, 2013—a night that many football fans will not soon forget. The Seattle Seahawks were playing the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. The game was going down to the wire and Seattle trailing 12-7 with only a few seconds remaining. With time expiring, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson heaved a 24-yard pass to receiver Golden Tate in the endzone. Green…
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Is it the Market or the Model? Petitioners in Delaware appraisal cases must necessarily argue that fair value exceeds the deal price. In contrast, financial economists tend to view prices from a well-functioning market as “true north” when valuing a stock. Valuation models—such as a discounted cash flow (DCF) model—+can be important tools but are known to be sensitive to their numerous inputs. When such a model results in a valuation that is at odds with market prices, it is imperative to understand the disconnect: Is it the market or the model that is wrong? In this Q&A, Analysis Group…
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With the effective date for the new IFRS lease accounting standard fast approaching, companies are wading through a number of challenging issues related to lease identification, data extraction, and software implementation. To read the full article in Financial Management, click: Lessons from Lease Accounting Implementation.