How to find hidden assets in divorce
Parties to a divorce may not be totally forthcoming with assets they own, so the valuation expert often has to help ferret them out.
Hester v. Hester
In this Virginia divorce case, the court, among other things, did not accept the valuation of either valuator and instead determined its own value crafted from the two valuations that were submitted. The result, by chance or otherwise, resulted in “splitting the baby.”
Divorce Matter Results in the Court ‘Splitting the Baby’ to Value a 20% Interest in an S Corp. Medical Practice
In this Virginia divorce case, the court, among other things, did not accept the valuation of either valuator and instead determined its own value crafted from the two valuations that were submitted. The result, by chance or otherwise, resulted in “splitting the baby.”
Preliminary agenda out for 2022 AAML/BVR National Divorce Conference
Want to learn how to value and divide intellectual property caught up in divorce?
BV News and Trends February 2022
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Sponsorships available for the AAML/BVR National Divorce Conference
Want to reach out to divorce attorneys?
Dates set for AAML/BVR National Divorce Conference
If you do any valuation work for divorce, you do not want to miss the National Divorce Conference, brought to you by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and Business Valuation Resources (BVR).
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.
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Business Valuation Update Yearbook, 2022 Edition
January 2022 PDF (454 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
New toolkit in development for active/passive appreciation
During a BVR webinar, Ashok Abbott (West Virginia University) discussed his recent peer-reviewed paper that explains his methodology for separating active from passive appreciation of business assets in a divorce context.
Personal goodwill likely in martial estate in Wyoming divorce case
In Wyoming, personal goodwill is not part of the marital estate, but it’s likely that some was included in a recent case.
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.
Appellate court KOs unaccrued interest on dissipated assets
In a divorce case, an appellate court vacated the order of the trial court that erroneously charged the husband with over $4 million in unaccrued interest on marital assets that the husband fraudulently dissipated from the marital estate.
Court Affirms Inclusion of Personal Goodwill in Marital Estate, Decides Trial Court Erred in Granting a Judgment Against Husband’s Business
In this divorce case, the Supreme Court of Wyoming allowed the valuation of the husband’s business, which likely included personal goodwill. It also decided that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it valued the husband’s business or ordered him to make an equalization payment. However, the district court erred in granting a judgment against the husband’s business for the equity payment due the wife since the business was not a party to the divorce action.
Snyder v. Snyder
In this divorce case, the Supreme Court of Wyoming allowed the valuation of the husband’s business, which likely included personal goodwill. It also decided that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it valued the husband’s business or ordered him to make an equalization payment. However, the district court erred in granting a judgment against the husband’s business for the equity payment due the wife since the business was not a party to the divorce action.
Feedback wanted on Abbott model for active/passive appreciation
For several years, Professor Ashok Abbott (West Virginia University) has been developing a methodology for separating active from passive appreciation of business assets in a divorce context (see our first coverage here).
Mohen v. Mohen
In the trial court (TC), the wife was awarded $4,360,158 of mostly unaccrued interest on the corpus of trusts the husband set up unilaterally for the children. The TC took the value of those trusts, $9,291,372, as part of the marital estate. The TC also added $990,945 of interest that the trusts had received and the remaining unaccrued future interest for a total value of “distribution” paid to the husband of $14,642,475 related to the trusts. The appellate court (AC) determined that the future interest was future interest and, thus, not part of the marital estate. However, the AC let stand the determination that the value of the trusts were to be treated as a distribution to the husband.
Husband Dissipates Assets by Placing Them in Trusts for the Children, but the Appellate Court Does Not Allow Unaccrued Interest
In the trial court (TC), the wife was awarded $4,360,158 of mostly unaccrued interest on the corpus of trusts the husband set up unilaterally for the children. The TC took the value of those trusts, $9,291,372, as part of the marital estate. The TC also added $990,945 of interest that the trusts had received and the remaining unaccrued future interest for a total value of “distribution” paid to the husband of $14,642,475 related to the trusts. The appellate court (AC) determined that the future interest was future interest and, thus, not part of the marital estate. However, the AC let stand the determination that the value of the trusts were to be treated as a distribution to the husband.
Five Areas to Explore If You Suspect a Spouse Is Hiding Crypto Assets in a Marital Dispute
In BVR’s recent webinar, Cryptocurrency Fraud and Forensics: What Valuation Professionals Need to Know, forensic and cryptocurrency experts Katerina Gaebel and Mark DiMichael, both of Citrin Cooperman, covered various hot topics on fraud and forensic accounting issues in digital assets and how they affect the business valuation profession. Here, we summarize five key areas where one would find proof of crypto asset fraud in a marital dispute, including interviews, tax returns, bank accounts, credit card statements, and more.
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.
Power Panel: Live Expert Answers for Today's Tough BV Questions
What is going on next in BV? While we don’t have a crystal ball, we do have the next best thing. Thought leaders Jay Fishman, Neil Beaton, Ray Rath, and Stacy Collins on hand to answer your questions on what is changing, trends within the profession, and thought processes behind tackling tough problems. What’s more, if you send in a video of yourself asking the question, you will get free admission to the session. Use ...
Fingertip guides to valuation cases in new BVR compendium guides
BVR’s valuation and case law compendium guides contain a very helpful feature: a handy summary table of hundreds of cases (by jurisdiction) that gives you the case name, date, specific court, and the main valuation issue in the case.
King v. King
This divorce case appeal deals with three primary issues: the determination of the value of insurance agency marital asset, the determination of the amount of personal goodwill attaching to the insurance agency, and the appropriate amount of alimony. The court remands the value of the business as it relates to the exclusion by the trial court of the liabilities the business owed, remands as to the appropriate amount of personal goodwill, and remands as to the erroneous level of income of the husband for determination of alimony.
Florida Trial Court’s Valuation Findings, Including Personal Goodwill Determination, Do Not Hold Up Under Appeals Court Scrutiny
This divorce case appeal deals with three primary issues: the determination of the value of insurance agency marital asset, the determination of the amount of personal goodwill attaching to the insurance agency, and the appropriate amount of alimony. The court remands the value of the business as it relates to the exclusion by the trial court of the liabilities the business owed, remands as to the appropriate amount of personal goodwill, and remands as to the erroneous level of income of the husband for determination of alimony.