there are great money-making opportunities, but don’t overlook the difficulties in getting started.
by ed mendlowitz
202 questions and answers: managing an accounting practice
question: i am exploring the business valuation credential as a way to expand our practice. i’m still (relatively) young to the profession and would (i think) love to expand into this niche area.
a few things:
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1) we don’t do any bv now so my ability to acquire the abv credential would be difficult w/o the experience aspect.
2) do you have any knowledge of or experience with the abv credential experience program facilitated by the aicpa?
3) if i don’t go that route, any thought to getting a “lesser” credential that doesn’t require the experience then “upgrade” to the abv once i get a few engagements under my belt?
response: i wouldn’t try to talk anyone out of getting into business valuation services, but i would point out the difficulties of entering the field and what you need to do to succeed in it.
there are quite a few credentials in the bv field, and they all require study, knowledge and experience. studying you can do yourself. knowledge comes with understanding and applying what you study. experience comes with doing the work for varied clients and situations. the credential is evidence of your expertise, but is not conclusive. the extent of your expertise is how well you do your work and can document and support what you’ve done in a credible manner.
i have the aicpa abv and cff credentials. you can pursue these by getting info from the aicpa or any of the other designations by contacting the certifying organization.
there are many engagements that call for valuations where you do not issue written reports similar in size to a small book. for example, “valuations” are done when you have discussions with clients regarding selling their business, buying a business, valuing the business in their personal financial statement or on a loan application, how their assets would be divided in a divorce or should be valued in a buy-sell agreement, or how they can transfer some ownership to a child working in the business. all of these situations are “experience.” the quality of experience could vary from very low to very high depending on the involvement of the work you do to obtain the valuation amounts you suggested to them.
i recommend attending full-day state society business valuation conferences and their bv committee meetings. after you get a good taste of the area, i recommend the aicpa annual three-day business valuation conference. there are also many webinars that offer excellent instruction.
the best way to get experience and to learn is to work on bv engagements with those who are more experienced. if you work for a firm that does these, ask to work on such assignments. if you work for a firm that doesn’t do them, perhaps consider getting a job with a firm that does, although if you are not absolutely sure you want to do this, you might be chasing your tail. if you have your own practice and neither you nor your partners have this experience, then study and attend conferences and webinars.
great reference sources are “understanding business valuation, third edition,” by gary r. trugman and “divorce: the accountant as financial expert” by kalman a. barson, both published by the aicpa. great newsletters are “bvr business valuation update” by www.bvresources.com and “financial valuation and litigation expert” published by www.valuationproducts.com and leimberg’s e-newsletters published by www.leimbergservices.com. there are other books and newsletters, but any of these are a good start.
bv is a very technical area that frequently needs you to defend your work. you have to know what you are doing, and that takes continuous updating. you need to be committed to this, and there are no shortcuts.
here are 47 types of bv services:
- business valuation
- valuation for a succession plan
- valuation for an estate or gift
- will dispute
- estate alleging misconduct by a professional (attorney or accountant)
- valuation for “buy-sell” agreement
- settling “buy-sell” conflicts
- business split-up (valuation and forensic accounting)
- conflicts between brothers and sisters, parent and child, or divorced spouses still working in same business
- to allocate purchase price for book and tax purpose in a merger or sale or acquisition
- advising a creditor’s committee in a bankruptcy
- looking for assets and asset tracing
- analyzing future cash flow and profitability
- matrimonial disputes
- matrimonial – settling post-judgment disputes
- tracing of flow of funds
- determining income and assist in preparation of case information statement in a divorce
- lifestyle analysis
- determination of value of premarital assets and/or retirement funds
- pre-filing consultation
- economic damages – lost wages, health insurance costs and lost retirement savings as a result of being forced to retire early
- industry-specific knowledge
- income analysis
- joint marital tax returns
- child support substantiation or verification
- post-judgment change of circumstances
- evaluating business interests
- calculation of damages
- damages and loss from a fire
- special counsel investigation of contributions to qualified and non-qualified deferred compensation plans on behalf of an individual over a prolonged period
- business succession between parents and child, and between siblings and between children and key person running business where “promises” were made but never put in writing
- management fees allocated to costs in a cost-plus project
- professional malpractice charges – plaintiff or defense cases
- lost wages
- damages caused by a disability caused by a landlord
- verify tax rates used on individual tax returns are correct
- determine tax rates to apply to assets that will be subject to, or partially subject to, income tax
- to determine built-in gain for c corporation conversion to s status
- fair value for financial statement purposes
- derivation of merger ration between related parties
- stock split-up valuation
- economic reasonableness of a management agreement and adherence to it
- restructuring of revolving, working capital, equipment or mortgage debt
- structuring a management buyout
- valuation of assets seized by government agency or as a result of a judgment
- lost royalties in a patent or copyright dispute
- damages from a construction delay
these engagements can arise from a party to the transaction, insurance company, mediator, arbitrator, attorney, another cpa, other professional, trustee, executor, administrator or court appointment. the engagements can be original work, critiques or rebuttals as an advocate, expert or consultant.