Court doesn’t appreciate active/passive analysis
An Alaska divorce case illustrates that the analysis of active and passive appreciation of a business during marriage continues to be a tricky one.
Demenno v. Demenno
The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court in determining the value of active appreciation and affirmed that the property in question remained the husband’s separate property and did not transmute to the marital estate.
Supreme Court (Alaska) Affirms Trial Court Calculation of Active Appreciation
The Alaska Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the trial court in determining the value of active appreciation and affirmed that the property in question remained the husband’s separate property and did not transmute to the marital estate.
Smith v. Smith
In this divorce case appeal, the appeals court remanded to the Chancery Court the issue of separate versus marital property. The appellate court determined that one of the husband’s businesses was marital property and not separate property as the Chancery Court decided. It remanded that portion of the Chancery decision with instructions to change the ruling and determine a value for the now marital property business—but without any goodwill.
Appellate Court (Mississippi) Affirms That Goodwill Is Not a Marital Asset
In this divorce case appeal, the appeals court remanded to the Chancery Court the issue of separate versus marital property. The appellate court determined that one of the husband’s businesses was marital property and not separate property as the Chancery Court decided. It remanded that portion of the Chancery decision with instructions to change the ruling and determine a value for the now marital property business—but without any goodwill.
Active depreciation charged to business owner in divorce
In a South Carolina divorce case, the business owner (husband) appealed the family court’s decision on the valuation of the family business.
BV News and Trends May 2023
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Have you tried Abbott’s passive appreciation calculator?
In last week’s BVWire, we mentioned that Dr. Ashok Abbott (West Virginia University) has developed an online application that produces a passive appreciation factor on a national level for businesses in the retail sector.
Court do-over to figure passive appreciation for divorce
In an Ohio divorce case, the trial court made an award to the wife based on the full fair market value of the husband’s business.
Ohio Appellate Court Remands Value of Businesses for Determination of Active Appreciation
This matter involved cross-appeals from a divorce decree in Trumbull County, Ohio. The focus of this digest relates to cross-appeals relating to the values of the husband’s businesses and the matter of active appreciation on those businesses.
Fordeley v. Fordeley
This matter involved cross-appeals from a divorce decree in Trumbull County, Ohio. The focus of this digest relates to cross-appeals relating to the values of the husband’s businesses and the matter of active appreciation on those businesses.
Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2023 Edition
January 2023 PDF, Softcover (195 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
New Toolkit for Passive Appreciation Takes Shape
BVR and Dr. Ashok Abbott (West Virginia University) are developing an automated tool and supporting documentation that embodies his peer-reviewed methodology for separating active from passive appreciation of business assets in a divorce context.
Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2022 Edition
January 2022 PDF, Softcover (177 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
The legal coverage and in-depth analysis from the BVR legal team deliver lessons learned to help appraisers reach better and more defensible valuation conclusions. All the cases featured in this book impart important lessons about applicable legal principles, approved and discredited valuation methodology, and the act (and art) of presenting expert opinions. This must-have collection benefits both the generalist as well as the specialist.
Learn more >>
Asare v. Asare
In this marital dissolution appellate case, the appellate court must resolve a number of issues related to the equitable distribution of the marital estate. On most issues, the appellate court affirmed the trial court. However, the appellate court reversed the trial court on the issue of how much passive appreciation related to an investment account was includable in the marital estate.
North Carolina Appellate Court Reverses Trial Court on Amount of Passive Appreciation in an Investment Account
In this marital dissolution appellate case, the appellate court must resolve a number of issues related to the equitable distribution of the marital estate. On most issues, the appellate court affirmed the trial court. However, the appellate court reversed the trial court on the issue of how much passive appreciation related to an investment account was includable in the marital estate.
Statistical Methodologies for Analyzing Active and Passive Appreciation
A rundown of the existing quantitative models that have been developed that separates the active and passive appreciation of a closely held business involved in a marital dissolution case. The models seek to statistically identify market forces that reasonably cause changes in the value of assets.
Active and Passive Appreciation in Valuation: Finding the Line
Breaking up is hard, but harder still is appropriating the appreciation of the marital estate during the marriage. The most troubling issue with active and passive appreciation in divorce cases is applying a method based on sound theory, good empirical evidence, and a clear common-sense framework. Ashok Abbott demonstrates a methodology and supporting evidence to isolate passive appreciation successfully. By working through a practice-ready example, you’ll be sure to come away with a new appreciation ...
Letter to the Editor: Comments on Using Jensen’s Alpha for Active and Passive Appreciation
This is a Letter to the Editor from Ashok B. Abbott, Ph.D. (West Virginia University), in response to a prior article on segregating passive from active increases in the value of an asset in the context of marital dissolution.
Letter to the Editor: Response to Dr. Abbott’s Comments on Using Jensen’s Alpha for Separating Active and Passive Appreciation
This is a Letter to the Editor from Mark Filler that responds to comments from Dr. Ashok Abbott about Mr. Filler’s prior article on the use of Jensen’s alpha. Dr. Abbott’s comments can be found elsewhere in this issue.
Bates v. Bates
In appreciation case, appeals court says it was error to value owner’s separate, minority interest in car dealership based on buy-sell agreement; however, alternate valuation by nonowner spouse’s expert offered based on standard methods, including use of discounts, provided “appropriate valuation.”
Buy-Sell Stock Agreement Does Not Determine Value of Owner Spouse’s Separate Property
In appreciation case, appeals court says it was error to value owner’s separate, minority interest in car dealership based on buy-sell agreement; however, alternate valuation by nonowner spouse’s expert offered based on standard methods, including use of discounts, provided “appropriate valuation.”
Papin v. Papin
High court upholds classification and valuation of husband’s investment management business, noting business consists of book of business, which can exist without owner, and owner’s skills and expertise, which are his separate property; proceeds from sale of book of business are community property.
Trajectory of Owner’s Investment Management Business Raises Characterization and Valuation Issues
A complex divorce case in front of the Idaho Supreme Court featuring an investment management business that the husband had set up before and sold during the marriage raised noteworthy issues about the nature of the business and the characterization and valuation of its various components (book of business vs. owner’s skills). A related flashpoint was whether the nonowner spouse was entitled to any appreciation (enhancement) in the value of the business that occurred ...
Appreciation in Liquor Company’s Value Represents Marital Property, Appeals Court Finds
Appeals court upholds ruling that appreciation in value of husband’s interest in family liquor business is marital asset; trial court carefully analyzed husband’s role in company to find he “substantially contributed” to the increase and husband stipulated to wife’s substantial contribution.